A Debt to Pay
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
From the fall of Adam, man has experienced death and fragmentation. His relationship with God and his neighbor was broken. “Revelation gives us the certainty of faith that the whole of human history is marked by the original fault freely committed by our first parents”. (CCC 390) The depth of the consequences of sin seems impossible to measure. However, “it pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him (Jesus) and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person, both on earth and in the heavens, making peace through the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1:20) Jesus was able to earn our forgiveness and restore our original communion with God, freeing us from those consequences through His sacrifice on the cross. We owe a debt to Him, and this debt seems humanly impossible to pay. How can I repay the injustices committed and the pain caused by my sin? How many times have I not been able to resist that "gravitational force" that drives me to commit sin? How can I be grateful for the healing and deliverance received through His forgiveness? If we meditate on the life of Jesus and his teachings, we will realize that the way we can reciprocate that love is only with love. "Love, with love is repaid" goes the saying. This love impels us to offer the other the same forgiveness and mercy that we have received. This is the debt we must pay.
On many occasions Jesus stressed the need to be forgiven and to forgive one's neighbor and even one's enemy. In the parable of the prodigal son, Luke 15:11–32, we see the scene of the son’s repentance. "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you..." the father represents God, who lovingly welcomes his repentant son. This parable teaches us that forgiveness is not earned but is received as a gift. We also see in this parable how the father challenges the brother to have the same mercy that he had for his son. The parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:1–7 reminds us of Jesus' compassion for those who have fallen away: "There will be more joy in heaven over a sinner who repents..." Jesus actively seeks out the one who has been lost. Repentance and forgiveness are a cause for joy, not judgment. The parable of the two debtors in Luke 7:41–43 tells us “which of them will love him more?” Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” Jesus teaches that the recognition of the forgiveness received generates a loving response. In Matthew 18:23–35 talks about a servant forgiven by his master refusing to forgive another. We hear Jesus saying: "Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?" Later he concludes: "So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart." This parable invites us to recognize our need to offer the mercy we have received and that the forgiveness received must be translated into forgiveness.
Everyone is familiar with the request of the “Lord’s Prayer” that states: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” This prayer highlights the dual nature of forgiveness: the need to be forgiven and the need to forgive others. In essence, having mercy and forgiving one’s neighbor are prerequisites for receiving forgiveness. Conversely, being treated with mercy and forgiveness prompts us to forgive and extend mercy in return.
The most effective means of offering mercy and forgiveness is by recognizing the forgiveness that Jesus has bestowed upon us. As we draw closer to Jesus, our comprehension of His love deepens, and our desire to share it with others intensifies. Jesus extends an invitation to forgive all, including our adversaries. He imparted His teachings not only through parables but also through His own life: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
In his defense of us while on the cross, Jesus asserted that we lacked knowledge of our actions. This explanation may be perplexing, as it raises the question of whether we truly do not know our own actions. How is it possible that we do not know what we are doing? Perhaps Jesus delves deeper into the state of our hearts, perceiving inner realities that we ourselves cannot discern. While Jesus does not condone sin, he does understand that ignorance, spiritual blindness, and fear can obscure the human conscience. His forgiveness from the cross is an invitation to look at the other with compassion, even when it hurts us. When Jesus said from the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," He was not denying that His executioners were physically aware of their actions. They knew they were crucifying a man. But spiritually and morally, they were blind to the full gravity of what they were doing. This is something we need to consider when we are hurt by someone. We need to find a way to say, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
As a cautionary note, it is crucial to differentiate between forgiveness and maintaining a situation that makes a person susceptible to any kind of assault. Forgiveness does not imply perpetuating or developing a close and intimate relationship with an individual who engages in emotional or physical assault. Rather, forgiveness is to not hold grudges, nor wish evil to the one who has hurt us. Forgiveness sometimes implies making distance or separation from the person who hurts us.
On many occasions, forgiveness is not easy or automatic. In my experience it is a process that takes time and contains several stages:
1. Recognizing ourselves as wounded
2. Realizing that resentment makes us unhappy and enslaves us.
3. Realizing that we cannot forgive solely by our own efforts and that we need God's grace and power.
4. Praying for the good of the one who trespassed against us, knowing that the highest good is God. In other words, we pray for their encounter with God.
5. Forgiving whether people apologize or not.
Forgiveness liberates and unlocks the pathways to the healing that Jesus desires for us to experience. We trust in His grace, knowing that “God whose power now at work in us can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine” can empower us to abide by what He asks of us. Let us acknowledge our sins, seek refuge in the Heart of Jesus, receive His forgiveness and healing, and extend those blessings to our fellow brothers and sisters.