From Father Jim
“Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet
the sinner hugs them tight... Forgive your
neighbor’s injustices then when you pray
your own sins will be forgiven. Could
anyone nourish anger against another and
expect healing from the Lord? Could anyone
refuse mercy to another like himself, can he
seek pardon for his own sins? If one who is
but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive
his sins? Remember your last days, set
enmity aside.”
For most, it is hard to forgive. For God, it is
the very reason why Jesus came, to forgive us
and reconcile us to the Father. Sometimes we
overlook our faults and fail to ask for
forgiveness. At other times we see the hurt
we have caused others and see how
necessary it is to say ‘I’m sorry.’
Take a moment today and be like Peter,
asking how frequently I must forgive my
sibling – seven or seventy times? The answer
is not a number, but an attitude. Reread
Sirach and ask if I hug wrath and anger, if I
cling to what separates me from another, if I
fail to recognize the remorse that another has.
Be willing to take the first step.