To get the most out of the Lord’s parable, we need to think of the worst possible sin we can commit against another person: what’s the worst thing one person can do to another?
Then, imagine that two members of your family are involved in such a thing: person A did it to person B.
Then, person A comes and sits next to you at Mass. What’s your reaction? There’ll be dread and anger, and lots of awkwardness. But will there be rejection?
Will you say to that offending family member, “You don’t belong here. How can you show your face in a place like this after what you did?”? It’s OK not to be OK with sin. Indeed, there are times when it’d be wrong not to be angry.
But it’s not OK to be not-OK with forgiveness, with God’s forgiveness. If we were in that scenario, we might move pew or parish, especially to seek healing for ourselves. We too need some peace.
But the Lord’s parable says we cannot insert ourselves into someone else’s relationship with God. We don’t belong there. We relate to others through God, not as if God.
So, how do we accept that God forgives other people? The best way is to receive the gift of forgiveness ourselves – then, we might begin to see how his forgiveness works.
So, please, if you haven’t already, and before Easter, come to confession.
Fr Paul Rowse, OP Parish Priest