From our Gospel reading, from St Matthew: ‘Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven’. (Matthew 18:21-22)

St Hilary of Poitiers commented: ‘When Peter asked him whether he should forgive his brother sinning against him up to seven times, the Lord replied, “Not up to seven times but up to seventy times seven times.” In every way he teaches us to be like him in humility and goodness. In weakening and breaking the impulses of our rampant passions he strengthens us by the example of his leniency, by granting us in faith pardon of all our sins.’ (St Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew)

Forgiveness can be a tangled issue, with many ramifications and often taking years fully to accomplish and so bring healing. In the Lord’s Prayer, our own forgiveness is clearly linked with our forgiveness of others: ‘forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us’.

Let us take heart and begin to follow our Lord’s teaching; and may God bless you this day.