My heavenly Father will treat you in exactly the same way
(as the master in the parable did his merciless official)
unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart

This week the Gospel message so-overshadows the message of the Epistle that, I believe, we must consider it in more detail. The message is contained in the parable of the unmerciful servant.

This parable, peculiar to Matthew’s Gospel, is one of   the sternest passages of the Gospels. It reinforces the duty of forgiveness by appealing to another motive: the forgiveness granted by man to man as a condition for forgiveness granted to man by God.

Think about this! The parable clearly and pointedly says that God’s forgiveness is based on our own ability and willingness to forgive others. That is a very powerful statement. It truly highlights the importance of developing the ability to forgive others.

The conduct of the master in the parable is not a model by which we should learn the providence of God. The detail that is most significant is the difference in the debt owed by the merciless servant and the debt that he claims. The model is the forgiveness of God. It knows no limits and, therefore, man’s forgiveness should not know any limit. If a person does not forgive, he cannot expect forgiveness. If he does not renounce his own claims, which are small, he cannot ask God to dismiss the claims against him.

The final words of the parable are so very poignant: My heavenly Father will treat you in exactly the same way unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart! The meaning of the parable seems absolutely clear.

Forgiveness is the voluntary and intentional process by which a person undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding a perceived offense. It helps the person let go of such negative emotions such as vengefulness and provides the person with an increased ability to wish the offender well. Generally, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. While the act or words that hurt or offend you might always remain a part of your life, forgiveness lessens its grip on you and helps you focus on other, positive parts of your life. Forgiveness can lead to feelings of understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurt you.

Refusing to forgive another person only hurts you. It does not change the other person. When you forgive, you create an opportunity to truly establish a positive relationship with another person and you both have an opportunity to grow.