Forgiveness

The Swedish statesman, Dag Hammarskjold (in Markings, Night is Drawing Nigh, 1963) wrote,’”To  forgive oneself?” No, that does not work: we have to be forgiven. But we can only believe this is possible if we ourselves can forgive.’  There is nothing harder for a human being than to forgive others. Only God can forgive absolutely, and the grace to forgive is a divine gift.

      If we receive God’s forgiveness with genuine thanksgiving, then we will respond by forgiving and showing compassion on others. So we can be sure that we are forgiven when we forgive those who have wronged us. In the parable of the unforgiven servant (Matthew 18:23-35), Jesus Christ spoke of the master who in anger said: ‘You scoundrel! I cancelled the whole of your debt when you appealed to me; ought you not to have shown mercy to your fellow servant just as I showed mercy to you?’