St. Matthew Catholic Church

Weekly Message     

Forgiveness IS For Giving

Dear brothers and sisters,   

     Forgiveness is not a feeling, but a gift meant to be passed on. The unforgiving servant in the Gospel failed because he forgot the massive mercy he had already received. Forgiveness does not minimize or pretend the hurt never happened. Instead, it allows grace to step in where justice alone falls short, offering the offender dignity beyond failure.

     For many carrying decades-old wounds, manufacturing forgiveness feels impossible. However, the Gospel simply asks us to pass on the compassion and mercy God continuously pours into us. Holding onto resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die; it shackles your present to someone else’s past mistake.

     Crucially, forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. Reconciliation requires mutual trust and two people work- ing together. Forgiveness requires only YOU. You can completely forgive someone to free your own heart, even if it is unsafe to restore the relationship. Ultimately, letting go of anger evicts the person living rent-free in your mind. Forgiveness is giving yourself your life back.

     When you refuse to forgive, you hand over your remote control to the person who hurt you, allowing them to dictate your current mood, your energy, and your perspective. Forgiveness is the ultimate act of reclaiming your power.

     In October 2006, a gunman shot ten girls at an Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, before killing himself. Astoundingly, the Amish community immediately visited the shooter’s family to offer food, comfort, and financial support. By choosing daily forgiveness over bitterness, the Amish prevented hate from destroying their community. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. We received, let’s give it. Blessings!

  Msgr. Xavier Pappu                     

                     Insert:  Giving to God/Dar a Dios.pdf

                                    Please pray for vocations to the priesthood,
                              for the Priests of our Diocese; & for our Bishop.

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