Year A
The Cost of Forgiveness
Sin is its own punishment, whether it was against nature or humans. Every sin have a punishment of some sort. But what makes sin unforgivable is chiefly not admitting your mistakes or sins. From the readings today, we reflect on the Sacraments of Healing; Penance and anointing of the Sick.
The person who admits his sins and with a contrite heart ask for forgiveness does so with words and actions. He confesses his or her sins and resolve not to do the said sin again. The action part is difficult if is an addiction, and may be difficult for one to fully overcome without help from God and friends. But if it was a first time mistake, one has to be meditative about his or her actions and notice the small neglected deeds that led to the sin, and with the help of God overcome it.
In the Didache or Teachings of the Apostles written around the year 70 A.D, we are entreated to pray the Lord's Prayer three times a day. But when praying this powerful Prayer, there is a sentence that stares at us, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespasses against us."
In today's reading we are reminded that our actions can show that we are not contrite, hence we do not admit our sins. Whatever we do to others project our character, and is based on our Character that we act towards or judge others. The one who ask for forgiveness is the one who knows that he or she is week and the one he or she ask forgiveness from is powerful.
The servant who did not forgive his colleague proved that he is not weak, but he forgot that he was also in the similar situation. So his actions showed that he himself has no weakness and hence he does not regret his sins for which he was pardoned. Thus he has not fully admitted to his sins.
In the first reading, Ezekiel was told to make a hole in the wall and get out of the city like an exile through the hole. It is obvious the wall of the fortified city shows how protected it is and consequently it strength. But a hole in the wall, shows it is not well protected, there is a weakness and that weakness will lead them to exile if they do not address it. We all have a weakness that we must pay attention to and address. We can fully address this when we acknowledge our weakness and know that we can not fix the hole our the walls on our own.
There is one thing we all must realize, Jesus Christ is the Word of God, and the Word of God is Truth and Wisdom, and wherever he is the Kingdom of God is, hence Jesus Christ is the Kingdom of God. The grace that flows from the Kingdom of God is forgiveness. Since the Kingdom of God is powerful, he can forgive the weak who acknowledge fully that they are weak.
The weak are those who have sined and acknowledge it, but there is also physical weakness, and this we know as sickness. So the Sacraments of Healing are to solve the sickness of the soul which is sin and the sickness of the body. So after enlightening us on unconditional forgiveness, Jesus Christ who is the doctor of both our body and soul , went to Judaea to heal those who are sick.
Jesus Christ wants to heal your body and your soul, there is only one condition, acknowledge your sins and weaknesses, forgive those who sin against you unconditionally and he will heal you. He wants to stand at the breached wall, allow him.
By Sylvester Amakye-Quayson
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