Forgiveness

" Take heed to yourselves if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."
~ Luke 17:3-4

To forgive offenses willingly is to have the attitude of desiring to forgive before it ever occurs to the other person to say "I'm sorry." It is to will the best for the other more than the other wills it for himself. Some people have the notion that forgiveness is to be extended only to those who say "I'm sorry." The idea is if they don't keep their side of the bargain, then we whew! don't have to extend them forgiveness. But this is false. Forgiveness is to be extended always and at all times. Sure, it's true that forgiveness can't be received till the person who needs it says "I'm sorry" and asks for forgiveness. But that doesn't make any difference to the one called to forgive. The injured person must will to forgive now, before the offender has ever asked and despite the fact that he may never ask. Why? Because we are called to be like Christ. "While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man-- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" Rom 5:6-8.

(Just a Word of Encouragement from Mark Shea and Jeff Cavins www.catholicexchange.com)