Power of Forgiveness.

Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’ 

Within a month of my starting to attend church, a friend invited me to participate in a church-sponsored event called ‘Encounter with Christ’. At the event today’s reading and quoted verse had a profound impact on me. After the event, I telephoned my son’s mother. Since our separation we had not been able to hold a civil conversation for more than five minutes. But after the lessons I learned at the church event, everything changed. I asked for her forgiveness for all of my deplorable behaviour that I could recall and for all the things I could not recall as well. We spoke for 45 minutes.

Since that day, I have felt great relief from a burden that I had not realised was weighing so heavily on me: the absence of forgiveness. Today, my son’s mother and I share a beautiful relationship – one that is only possible through Christ when we make him our priority in all things.

Prayer: Creator God, thank you for teaching us about forgiveness, love, mercy and generosity. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen