HOMILY FOR THE 24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.(2)

HOMILY FOR THE 24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.

THEME: How hard it is to forgive and forget injuries!

BY: Fr. Justus Oruma.

(a) It is actually not easy to forgive and forget injuries; not even easy for the Divine. To obtain for us forgives, Christ had to shed his blood; “this is my Blood, shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins…” Peter must have also experienced some difficulties in forgiving someone who kept offending him, thus the question, “Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?”

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(b) The response of Jesus to this question simply tells us to have a loving heart, which does not keep record of faults in memory but ready to forgive one another because God grants us his forgiveness despite the uncountable times we have sinned against him. He forgets and does not mark our guilt. We have received God’s forgiveness though without merits, even if all we have, including ourselves be sold, we cannot purchase the forgiveness and cancellation of our sins as told in the parable of the unmerciful servant. As the Psalm says, “if you Lord mark our guilt, who would survive”

(c) It is though difficult to forgive and forget, but it is to the advantage of whoever can. Keeping malice, and records of sins in memory ladens and burdens the heart with heavy loads injurious to the psych. Forgiveness leaves your heart free, light, simple, smiling and healthy. Above all, one obtains God’s forgiveness too as we say in the Lord’s prayer, “forgive us our sins as we forgive those…” Forgiveness is a sign of patience and great love. It is though hard, forgive anyway. As for the one who keep offending a brother because he keeps forgiving, take note of what happened to the unmerciful servant.

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