"unless each of you forgive your brother from your heart."
The gospel today on this feast of St. Patrick is quite lengthy. It consists of 14 verses and details the story of forgiveness.
Of all the words that are contained within this passage, I believe the most striking is the word "unless."
Jesus tells us, his disciples, that "unless" we forgive our brother from the heart we will be handed over to the tortures until we pay the last debt.
This is true.
The inability or refusal to forgive leads to a tortuous life. Those who hold on to grudges and refuse to give the gift of forgiveness betray themselves into the hands of torturers. They spend their life eaten up on the inside, racked and in pain, imprisoned by their own devices.
As long as the forgiveness is withheld, the torture continues even it to the beyond.
Jesus' words are words not just of warning, they are not words of threat, they are words of insight to help us embrace freedom by seeking to always give the gift of forgiveness. Jesus invites us to allow our life to mirror his, "while we were sinners Jesus died for us and offered the forgiveness and thus reconciled us tot he Father by his blood."
Jesus forgave with his whole heart. As the spear pierced his side and water and blood flowed forth, his heart was exposed and forgiveness reigned.
Lent is a season of meditating on the passion of Jesus. As we meditate, may we always reach into the side of Christ and hold firmly his heart and pray that Our heart may be conformed to his.
Thus, from His heart to ours, forgiveness might be given and the torture may end.
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