Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent
March 29, 2011
To see the readings, click here:
http://www.usccb.org/nab/032911.shtml
I am just exhausted tonight, so this may not be my most inspired entry ever. But I'm giving it my best shot!
Today's gospel is on a topic that must be very important to God, judging from how often he stresses it in the Bible: the imperative that we forgive our brothers and sisters. It is the parable of the servant who is forgiven a huge debt and then goes and harshly demands repayment of a much smaller debt from another servant who owes money to him. When the master finds out, he calls him in and challenges him, then has him thrown in jail "into the hands of torturers" until he can repay his debt.
I am strangely put in mind of Father Ray Lavelle, who served our parish right before he retired, about 10 years ago. He used to preach the most effective sermons on confession. He had an advanced degree in psychology, and he would talk about what a benefit it is to the human psyche, as well as the human soul, to experience forgiveness. He would always focus a lot of his preaching on just how good it feels to confess one's sins and be forgiven. I am sure that a lot more people went to confession when Father Lavelle was the one promoting it.
I thought of that because my experience with forgiving others feels that same way. I know that it pleases God when I forgive others, but honestly, it also makes ME feel so much better. Holding onto anger and hurts just makes them fester. Letting them go is liberating. Feeling hate toward someone who has wronged me hurts me and eats me up in side. Letting go of those bad feelings frees me to enjoy life again.
I know that forgiving isn't always easy. There have been times when someone has really taken advantage of me at work, or mistreated my son, or hurt me with their gossip, when it has not been easy to forgive. The trick I learned -- actually, I believe it was recommended to me in the confessional -- was to pray for that person who had hurt me. Over time, it becomes impossible to hold onto the bad feelings when I am praying for someone. It doesn't happen the first day, but over time, I find my bad feelings toward the person just melting away.
One little postscript here: Father Lavelle suffered a serious stroke a few weeks ago and is recovering in a nursing home now. His mind and spirit were both so bright and uplifting. It hurts to think of him diminished. Please join me in praying for him.
Father, thank you for the gift of forgiveness. Please help us to be willing to let go of those things that hurt us so that we might enjoy the far greater joy and liberation of forgiveness. Be with us as we walk our daily path and help us to see our fellow travelers through the eyes of love. Help us to find our way along the Lenten journey, too. Help us to prepare ourselves so that we can fully participate in the Easter celebration when it comes. We lift up Father Lavelle in a special way and pray that you will bless and keep him here on Earth and welcome him generously in Heaven when the time comes. Amen
