Last Sunday we reflected on the community of believers’ uncompromising stand against sin even as we were reminded of our responsibility to be there for one another in our struggle to overcome evil. On the note that a caring community must be a praying community, we realize next that our readiness to forgive one another is necessary to maintain our communion with God and with one another (Matthew 18:21-35).
Seven times?
Hearing Jesus speak about the need that His disciples be each other’s keepers if they are to be true to their communion of faith, Peter asks in connection with the incidence of sin in their midst how many times must he forgive his brother who sins against him? In answering his own question with the possibility of forgiving the erring brother up to seven times, Peter is actually being magnanimous because he is ready to forgive repeatedly. It is not a triple that he thought seven as a good number signifying fullness, the completeness already of his mercy and love.
We Filipinos traditionally count up to only three when someone is doing something reprehensible: we go only up the third time in trying to understand and bear up with someone. Is it because we are afraid to be interpreted as weak and soft, if we go beyond three instances in our patience with somebody? Or be a konsintidor (abettor) of the offender, if we try to be more forgiving? We set a limit to our compassion and mercy, lest we be abused. Also, we seem easily influenced by what others might think or say of us.
Seventy-seven times!
The reply of Jesus to Peter clarifies that among believers in God forgiveness should be repeated again and again, in fact indefinitely and not pegged to a definite number of times. The language of numbers is clearly in reference to the boast of Lamech, Cain’s descendant, who claimed that “If Cain is avenged sevenfold” against those who persecute him, “then Lamech seventy-sevenfold” against those who cross him (Genesis 4:24). This Old Testament story of limitless rage and revenge for a wrong done is now transformed by Jesus to limitless mercy and unbounded forgiveness in love.
The parable Jesus added illustrates this point of unlimited mercy in the communion of faith. The unfaithful official in the story must have been a high officer in the court with funds under his control, for him to have been able to abscond with such a huge sum of money: 10,000 talents (or 9 million dollars or more than 400,000,000 pesos). In the economics of the time, such a debt would be impossible to repay. Yet the king forgave him completely, when the servant begged for patience; the kindness of the master was poured without measure upon the unworthy thief. But the man turned out himself to be without compassion for another who owed him what in comparison was a measly sum of 15 dollars or a little over 700 pesos. Though fully forgiven of his dishonesty and thievery, he was callous and merciless toward another who was also begging for some patience and time in order to pay back his debt, apparently an honest debt. He was unable to recognize and respond to the same words and petition he himself employed to beg for mercy from his master now that they were addressed to him by a fellow servant.
Alálaong bagá, although we do not deserve it, we are forgiven by God totally and completely of our sins when we beg Him in repentance. However enormous our debts to God may be, His mercy is to all who call upon Him. It is beyond our capacity to repay the Almighty, yet He writes off everything upon our prayer for mercy. What we need is compassion for one another in imitation of our all-compassionate Father, as we try to live together in the communion of faith, as a people called to holiness but by no means immune to sin and the many evils we are all prone to. Exacting justice by pound of flesh upon pound of flesh only leads to self-destruction until all be de-fleshed. Forgiving from the heart, as demanded by Jesus of his followers, not just reacting to what others do, is acting according to our faith and conscience shaped by the divine mercy.
Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.