A Prayer to Forgive and Love Like Jesus This Holy Tuesday
By Alicia Searl “Then 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.” - Matthew 18:21-22 Granting forgiveness can be complex and hard to give and receive, especially when it’s a repeated offense, and you’re left holding a broken heart filled with so much pain. Yet, in the upside-down gospel of Jesus Christ, that is exactly what we are called to do. Forgive, time and time again. It sounds so easy, right? Yet, as you most likely know, forgiveness comes with an acknowledgment that needs to be made from our heads to our hearts. That’s because forgiveness can be messy and intertwined with so many emotions. When Peter approached Jesus with the question of how many times he should he forgive his brother, it was more than likely a sincere question. A question to determine the length of mercy. Maybe he was harboring pain from a past hurt or trying to decipher and grasp the unparallel meaning of the forgiveness Jesus taught in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 6:14-15). |
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