But seventy-seven times

On 3,25.34-43; Ps 24; Mt 18,21-35
26 MARZO

The Lord’s forgiveness is always conditioned. It is never absolute. It is always given and offered by our God, provided that certain conditions are observed, the first of which is faith in Christ Jesus, faith in his Word, in his mission, in his work of redemption and salvation, in his universal mediation and in his person.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God (Gv 3,14-21).

Perfect faith in Christ Jesus is also perfect faith in the Apostles, constituted by Him as administrators of his forgiveness, of his grace and truth and givers of the Holy Spirit. This condition must also be observed. The Father forgives through the Apostles. They will forgive sins to those who repent, become converted, believe in Christ and let themselves be baptized. The sacramental way of penitence is also a necessary condition. But there is a third condition that must necessarily be put into being. It is the forgiveness we must give to those who have sinned against us, both in small things and in great things. If we do not forgive, God does not forgive us. We do not forgive a little thing, He does not forgive us not to the extent of our non-forgiveness, but to the extent of the debt contracted with Him, which is priceless for eternity. The wicked servant has not forgiven a debt of just a hundred coins. A misery. The Lord has not held back hardly one hundred coins from the remittance; he has no longer condoned him ten thousand talents.

Then Peter approaching asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”

On this measure of forgiveness in truth, very little is reflected. We do not forgive a venial sin done to us by the brother, the Lord does not forgive us mortal sins. The Lord’s rule is not a sin for sin, a grave sin for a grave sin, a venial sin for a venial sin. If we do not forgive the little, He does not forgive us the much. Our little for his lot. Our nothing for his everything. We forgive in totality and He forgives us in totality. We forgive in partiality He does not forgive in totality. Forgiveness is the forgiveness of the person. We forgive the person of the brother, the Lord forgives our person. Person per person.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, help us so that we always forgive everything and without measure.