Gospel Reflection | September 17, 2023

by Hallie Card, Director of Discipleship

“Not seven times but seventy-seven times.”

This weekend’s Gospel is a familiar (and challenging) one. Forgiving someone once can sometimes feel impossible enough let alone 77 times!

As human beings it is easy to “hug our grudges” and carry anger and animosity for long periods of time – sometimes forever. In fact, our world almost promotes it. We do not live in a culture of forgiveness and mercy; we live in a culture where we are quick to label people as ‘toxic’ and completely cut them off without a chance at redemption. And yet, we are called to forgive 77 times?

The key to unlocking the beauty and deeper meaning of this passage is held in the very last line when Jesus says, “forgive your brother in your heart.” How many times have we said that we have forgiven someone (and possibly actually believed it) but truly haven’t? I know I have done this on many occasions. I might say that a hurtful action from the past is water under the bridge and all is well, but then some type of minor misfortune befalls the person who hurt me, and I (very humanly) take a little satisfaction from their inconvenience.

Spoiler alert… that is not forgiveness. It is one thing to say it, it is an entirely different thing to hold it in our hearts. When we want a model of forgiveness, look no further than Christ himself whose forgiveness has no boundaries.

It might take 77 times of forgiving the same event before it gets there, but once it penetrates the heart, the Holy Spirit will give you peace.