Sunday:       24 TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Date:         September 12, 1999
Year:         A
The readings: [Sir. 27:30-28:7; Rom. 14:7-9; Mt. 18:21-35]
The message:  FORGIVENESS IS THE GREATEST OBSTACLE TO HOLINESS
Prepared by:  CATHOLIC DOORS MINISTRY
Total words:  2262

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Good morning to all of you, precious creations of God who have been called to become saints in Jesus. [Rom. 1:7; 2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2, 4, 12, 26] How beautiful it would have been if we could have all been born as already made perfect saints. But this is not the case! Called to become saints, it requires that we be sanctified in Christ. [1 Cor 1:2]

Today, we received a very clear message from God through the readings of the Holy Bible. We are told to forgive others of all their trespasses against us. And, our forgiveness should not be just once or twice, but seventy times seven. That does not mean that if we forgive every day for 490 days, then our share of forgiveness will be complete. The seventy times seven means ongoing forgiveness, year after year, without counting.

When you do not forgive someone, it is because you are passing judgment on the person. Jesus commanded that you do not judge others so you will not be judged. For by the measure that you judge others, by refusing to forgive them of their trespasses, that same measure will be used against you when your time of judgment arrives. [Mt. 7:1-2]

So how can someone perfectly forgive without judging? He has to completely forget the offenses that were committed against him. He has to forgive as a holy child of God, forgiving as God would forgive. In His holiness, God promised, "None of the sins that they have committed shall be remembered against them; they have done what is lawful and right, they shall surely live." [Ezek. 33:16] God shall no longer remember the sins of the sinner who does what is right... He forgives those who trespassed against Him without counting, without looking back, without ever mentioning the trespass again, as if they never happened. That is holy forgiveness.

My brothers and sisters, when you leave here today, I want you to remember these words,

"Forgiveness is the greatest obstacle to holiness!"

Imprint those words on your minds in extra large letters and never forget them!

Many are unable to proceed with their sanctification because they cannot find it in their hearts to forgive. They fall short of the Divine love of God. In fact, did you know that there are more offenders in the prisons who receive the love of God than there are victims? This end result occurs because offenders spend more time towards reflecting on their sins. The offender is better disposed to acknowledged his guilty heart and conscience that is not at peace. In search for spiritual peace, he is led by Divine grace to admit to his guilt, to repent, to confess and to seek salvation through God's mercy and forgiveness. The general attitude of those who are victims of crimes is that they are without sin! No one is without sin! If anyone believes that he is without sin, he is deceiving himself and the truth is not in him. [1 Jn. 1:8]

The soul that cannot forgive does not have the truth of God in its heart. That means that you are not being righteous and forgiving as God has commanded. While possibly unaware of it, you have withdrawn yourself as an adopted child of God until such time as you will find the strength in your heart to forgive.

As a victim, you may say in your heart, "It's not fair. First I am victimized by the offender and now I am being victimized by God." That is not true! God does not victimized anyone! In His abounding Divine love, God wants to heal the victimized soul! God knows that the soul is hurting. God wants the soul to forgive so its psychological suffering will come to an end. God wants to remove the scars from the victim. God wants the victim to let go of its past so the past will totally fade away. Why would a person desire such sufferings which will only lead to bitterness, to quarrels, revenge, etc..? Is this kind of nature the result of the light of God or the Prince of darkness? Who is the master here that influences the person to pursue sufferings?

Who is a greater offender in the eyes of God, the murderer, the rapist, or the adulterer? Most will answer that it is the murderer. Adultery is a lesser sin because it has become to many an accepted social behaviour. Yet, in the eyes of God, each person is an offender that deserves equal punishment. In fact, while the murderer may have only one victim, the adulterous person may have dozen of offenses on his record. But because of the social attitude of acceptance towards adultery, the person will deny that he is a sinner. How wrong he is!

Many examples of offenses against the Divinity of God can be provided to demonstrate the many sins of the world. The one who embezzles from the poor and the seniors is just as guilty of sinning as the murderer is, often having numerous victims. What about the young offender who robs seventy-five homes and steals items of sentimental value that can never be replaced? What about the one who breaks the windshields of numerous vehicle, causing the insurance rates of hundreds of victims to rise, this creating an additional financial burden on each person? Will these souls, the adulterous, the embezzler or the robber ever be able to undue what they have done? Most likely not! They will all need forgiveness!

Do you realize that many of the offenders were once victims themselves? Not only have they been victimized once, but they are being victimized a second time because they have acted in the manner in which they were raised! These offenders, victims of others, have lost their first love because they were corrupted by an environment that failed them, those who influenced them in their childhood and robbed them of God's innate love. God alone knows their hearts and knows their sufferings. Who has the right to cast the first stone? Jesus said, " He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." [Jn. 8:7] Rather than continuing their judgment against the adulteress, the sinners all walked away. They knew in their hearts that they were all just as guilty, not of the same sin, but of other sins that were equally offending in the eyes of God.

If a teenager is encouraged by his parents to consume alcohol in his home since early age, who is to blame when the teenager becomes an adult alcoholic and kills someone while driving under the influence of alcohol? Should this young adult be placed in jail or his parents? Where is the compassion to help the alcoholic towards recovery? Where is the love of God?

What about the person who abused or molested a child, that person having been a victim of repeated abuses or molestations during his or her childhood? Will making this adult an outcast of society by the Christian community be the answer to providing this victim with the well deserved and long overdued help in the love of God?

I expect by now that many of your are experiencing mixed emotions, judgments, distaste for certain offenses, mentally providing excuses for your judgments, associating yourselves as victims, etc... That is why I said earlier,

"Forgiveness is the most difficult part of sanctification!"

Some victims cannot find it in their hearts to forgive. Jesus said: "I do not condemn you, go, and sin no more." [Jn. 8:11] Is this not the right approach, the true Christian approach? Is it not easier to forgive and assist an offender towards recovery?

Society presently is suggesting that it is easier to hang the murderers; to lock up the schizophrenics in the prisons rather than providing them with health care services; to put into practice a "Three strikes - you are out" policy to permanently lock up offenders; all in hope that the problem will go away? The problem will not go away! This type of alternate solution endangers the salvation of the individuals who put into practice such solutions. This is not Divine love. It is revenge!

Vengeance is mine says the Lord. To God belongs vengeance and rewarding; the unrighteous soul will fall in due time for the day of disaster is approaching and it will quickly arrive. [Deut. 32:35] Many are playing God by placing judgment on others rather than forgiving. Only Jesus has the authority to judge, such authority having been given to Him by the Heavenly Father. [Jn. 5:22]

If Jesus could forgive those who murdered Him [Lk. 23:33-4], He Who was sinless, He Who was pure of heart, He Who was God incarnated, why is it so difficult for others to forgive so the world can be a better place to live in? Only you as individuals can answer that question by looking deep into your hearts. The heart of the unforgiving spirit reflects the true nature that is no different than the nature of Satan. Satan wanted power, believing that he could overthrow the Heavenly Throne of God. The one that cannot forgive others falsely believes that he has the power to control the destiny of others. He says, "You made me suffer. Now it is my turn to make your suffer." This control will not last long, at least not beyond this physical world!

Why is it alleged that offenders commit crimes to seek power? Are not the suffering victims and politicians also seeking power? This seeking of power did not suddenly arise from their hearts! It was there all the time. Now it is surfacing, displaying their true nature! You should never judge another person, especially if the judgment that you make against someone else reflects your own heart. Through your judgment, you are condemning yourself.

These examples demonstrate how seriously the hearts of many have deteriorated. Spiritual growth is being blocked because of a failure to forgive, this bringing the soul into a state of decay. It is hoped that through the grace of God, that today, all of you will be able to perceive the seriousness of such an attitude. There is a desperate need for everyone to receive Divine healing through the grace of God. Everyone needs to ask God for this grace. God heals the broken hearts and bandages their wounds. [Ps. 147:3]

What happens when a person receives the grace of God and finds it in his heart to forgive? He receives the peace of mind that has long been overdue. What was once known as peace, was bitterness, but now God has held back the life of the person from the pit of destruction, for God has cast all his sins behind His back. [Is. 38:17]

God will forgive the soul that forgives others. God will welcome the return of His child into the body of Christ to continue its sanctification. The Holy Spirit will once more dwell within the body of the repentant individual. God will bless the person with numerous graces, this being God's way of rejoicing in this great moment. God rejoices more for the one soul that is saved than for the ninety nine that were not in need of being saved. [Mt. 18:13]

Jesus is the light that leads you towards obeying the Will of the Heavenly Father. Jesus said: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life. [Jn. 8:12]

You should consider your past experiences of being unforgiving as a training towards your sanctification, such having been permitted by God in His great wisdom to humble your soul so you will conform yourself to His Divine likeness and Will. "For the Lord disciplines those whom He loves, and chastises every child whom He accepts." [Heb. 12:6] Jesus alone has the authority to judge! You will be judged in the way that you judge others!

Once you come in agreement with God's Will by forgiving from the sincerity of your heart, then, and then only, you will begin to experience Divine peace.

(NOTE FOR THE PRIESTS: I would like to add that if one is to claim to be a minister of the Word of God, he has an obligation to teach righteousness to the sheep in his trust. He has an obligation to teach the truth to the Catholics about the decaying state of their souls when they cannot find in their hearts to forgive.

How many times have Catholic ministers of the Word of God been heard to say that they could not speak of forgiveness to their parishioners, in or out of the Church, because of the public outcry for revenge? They feared speaking up, especially on the subject of mercy and rehabilitation of prisoners. Is this attitude not the attitude of hypocrites, contrary to the teaching of abounding Divine love.

As a minister of God, you have not been commissioned to please the souls of those who reject spiritual guidance, but rather to teach and uphold the Word of God through the love of Jesus Christ. If the members of the Church are truly one in the Sacred Body of Christ, each Church should be committed to at least helping one soul in need to recover from its offending way by providing the individual with community acceptance, abounding Divine love, patient support, counselling, encouragement, and meeting his other physical and spiritual needs. Only through the love of God can a person be changed. With faith in the power of God, any soul can change its life around!)

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The readings...

[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]

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First Reading...

"Anger and wrath, these also are abominations, yet a sinner holds on to them. The vengeful will face the Lord's vengeance, for he keeps a strict account of their sins. Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. Does anyone harbour anger against another, and expect healing from the Lord? If one has no mercy toward another like himself, can he then seek pardon for his own sins? If a mere mortal harbours wrath, who will make an atoning sacrifice for his sins? Remember the end of your life, and set enmity aside; remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments. Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor; remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults." [Sir. 27:30-28:7]

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Second Reading...

"We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living." [Rom. 14:7-9]

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Gospel Reading...

"Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything,' And out of pity for him the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of h is fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, 'Pay what you owe.' Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.

Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to everyone of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart." [Mt. 18:21-35]

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