My Dear People,

When Peter asked Jesus how often one should forgive, Peter thought it would be generous enough to forgive someone seven times seven. After all, 7 times 7 years is the year of jubilee, when all debts are forgiven. When Jesus said 70 times 7 times, it amounts to about 10 Jubilees (490 years). This, of course, has more to do with sin than monetary debts. Jesus was telling Peter something different. He told him that we must always forgive not seven times but 70 times seven.

Jesus explained this in the following parable. He compared the kingdom of Heaven to a servant who appeared before the king to whom he owed 10,000 talents. A talent is the equivalent to 6,000 denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a worker's daily wage. What he owed was so huge there was no way for him to possibly pay it back. So, he was told, he and his whole family would be sold in order to satisfy the debt. Of course, the individual pleaded for mercy. The king took pity on him and forgave his debt. When the servant was leaving, he met a fellow servant who owed him 100 denarii (that is 100-day wages) and demanded payment. When the fellow servant likewise pleaded for mercy, he became very angry and ruthless. He refused to show mercy for his fellow servant and had him put in prison. So the king who had forgiven this individual’s amount was very angry that he was not willing to forgive a small amount when he was forgiven a huge amount. For acting this way, the king had him put in prison.

This is a beautiful symbol of sin against God. If our Lord is so merciful that He is willing to forgive us if we beg for mercy, likewise, we also should be merciful toward our debtors—those guilty of offending society, the Church, and us. We are the ones whose huge amount has been forgiven, therefore we should forgive the small amount that our neighbor owes us.

We, however, should be horrified of sin; we should reprimand the sinner; we should condemn him, but we should also have mercy for him. Ruthless zeal is not liked by God. It benefits no one since it hardens, sours, and gangrenizes the wound. Instead of being ruthless, pray for the poor who have been led astray. How many fruits of penitence could be brought to the Church? (Meaning, if we show mercy instead of ruthlessness, many will return to the Church). 

Jesus condemns ruthlessness toward poor sinners even though this ruthlessness appears to be justified sometimes to keep order. Ruthlessness does not produce any good. It chokes, oppresses, and robs one's liberty. It is important to have pity and forgive. This is the example God gives us, and this is the heritage that Jesus Christ has left for His Church. Christ forgave from the cross the ones who crucified him. Forgiveness is very important. To forgive helps the individual who forgives more than the one who is forgiven. When one forgives, one is free and open to the grace of God.

[Parts taken from commentary by Don Dolindo Ruotolo]

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Vincent Clemente