Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“forgive your brother- and sister - from your heart.”  

Never forget that there is a huge difference between forgetting and forgiving

Between white washing and washing white.

Beneath the whitewash, the words remain and, scraping away the paint, they appear ‘But darling, that was ten years ago”  “Yes, but you did it.”

When you forgive, you wash white, so nothing remains. 

In the confessional, when celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation, you hear the priest, speaking on behalf of Jesus Christ, say, “I absolve you from your sins.”

“Absolve” comes from Latin absolvere meaning “to set free, release, or acquit,” formed from ab (“away from”) + solvere (“to loosen”).

Jesus Christ wanted us – each one of us – to live life to the full. Hence his order  to forgive. 

After all, forgiveness is essential for emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being, as it  releases resentment, eases emotional pain and reduces feelings of anger, bitterness, and hostility. Holding onto anger and resentment has negative impacts on our body including higher blood pressure  and a weakened immune system.

Forgiveness fosters healthier relationships by breaking the cycle of negativity and allowing both parties to move forward. Remember, forgiveness is a conscious, intentional decision rather than a passive feeling. 

Love understands. Love forgives. After his resurrection, by the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus forgave Peter his triple betrayal with His, “Feed my lambs. Look after my sheep. Feed my sheep.”  They are mine, but I want you to look after them.