Thursday 19^th June – Thursday of week 11 of the year

Reflection: Matthew 6:7-15

THE LORD’S PRAYER

A close look at the Lord’s Prayer reveals the “completeness of the prayer”. Today we shall emphasize the phrase “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. The reality of this verse stares us hard in the face: if we do not forgive others, God in heaven will not grant us the forgiveness of our sins. How terrible it will be if God does not forgive a man – such person is eternally damned.

Many of us Christians today find it “normal” to hold grudges against others with the justification that such people have hurt us deeply and it is not possible for us to forgive them. Some of us may have been betrayed by friends and family, denied justice, embarrassed publicly for what we know nothing of, or discriminated against even by our own nation. Indeed, we may have been disappointed in several ways but we must look up to our loving Father as an example – He forgives us always even when we betray Him over and over again.

It may be really hard to forgive but Christ has made his grace sufficient for us. We can truly forgive when we ask Jesus for the grace to. We must always bear in mind that without forgiving others, we cannot receive forgiveness from God ourselves.

Prayer: Father in heaven, I need your grace to totally forgive others even before they offend me. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 524 – What does it mean to say, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”?

Merciful forgiveness—the mercy that we show to others and the mercy that we ourselves seek—is indivisible. If we ourselves are not merciful and do not forgive one another, God’s mercy will not reach our hearts.

Many people have a lifelong struggle with their inability to forgive. The deep blockade of being unreconciled is resolved only by looking to God, who adopted us “while we were yet sinners” (Rom 5:8). Because we have a kind Father, forgiveness and reconciliation in life are possible

HIDE A TREASURE: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” Matthew 6: 14-15 RSV-CE

Readings for today: Sirach 48: 1-15; Psalm 97:1-7; Matthew 6: 7-15