Forgiveness is not just a way to reconciliation, it is the way of salvation. If you want to put limits on the forgiveness you bestow on others, you may well find yourself in hell! Jesus does not teach us that forgiveness must be given based on careful consideration of whether the person deserves it or not, but that forgiveness must be given constantly, repeatedly, and as if our own life depended on it. It isn’t helpful for people who find it hard to forgive to begin to think that they are perhaps justified in being slow to forgive because of the hurts they’ve received.
Monday of the Third Week of Lent
Patriotism is indeed a virtue, but patriotism is not more elevated than the worship of God or the honor due to our parents. In today’s readings we can see the potential a conflicting sense of reverence for God, parents, and country has for blinding and hardening the heart to truth. Naaman almost missed out on his healing because he was sure the rivers of his own country would serve better for healing than the rivers of a foreign nation. The people of Nazareth became furious with Jesus when He told them they would not accept Him simply because He Himself comes from Nazareth. They were angry with God because He disturbed their national pride.
Friday of the Second Week of Lent
Jealousy has always led to the most shameful murders . The anger or bitterness associated with jealousy is perhaps one of the most pernicious because we can hardly admit to it to ourselves, let alone to others. As soon as we find others who agree with us, or who collaborate with us in jealousy, we become capable of assembling and justifying structures of malice and murder. We should always examine our hearts for jealousy because, by it, the devil is very effective in his work of turning brother against brother. It was the case for Cain and Abel, Joseph and his brothers, David and Saul, the prophets, and finally Jesus and the chief priests and Pharisees.