Our wounded ego and the supreme Love (Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Cycle A)

Once again, the Lord invites us to consider a topic that is, let’s say a bit awkward: forgiveness. Forgiveness it’s something we avoid most of the time but it’s something that we have to face, and let me tell you: better to do it sooner than later. Why is it so hard for us to give our forgiveness or to ask for forgiveness, or both? The root is in our ego. A wounded ego (for whatever reason) tends to lock itself up and still the same way for years! So, with his words our Lord invites us this evening to do some examination of conscience; to think with whom we have this debt of forgiveness. And how to start that process of forgiveness? That’s a really Good question.  The starting point is understanding that forgiveness, more than a feeling, it’s a decision. A very personal decision.  If we are waiting to "feel something" to start to forgive, or to ask for forgiveness, perhaps that feeling will never come into our hearts. And so, we will remain bitter, resentful, angry for the rest of life. Grant our forgiveness to someone to someone (a person, an institution, a family, a community) takes time, and effort, and sometimes sacrifices, but at the end of the day forgiveness brings peace, and serenity, and clarity and a clear conscience. So, should I make the decision, today, to start forgiving that episode or that person in my life? Yes! Let’s remember that hate causes violence, and violence justifies hate. We cannot deny that forgiveness, in certain cases, reaches the limit of our forces. Can we forgive when the person who offended us does not repent at all? Well, we will not be able to forgive completely if we are using only our own strength.  We are humans. Our energy is limited, our capacity sometimes is small.  We have God's help, God´s company, God´s support; It’s necessary to invite Jesus in our fight against resentment, against anger, against that desire for revenge that is right there, well settled in our heart. Every time we do some moment of prayer, every time we come to do a moment of Eucharistic adoration, every time we experience God's mercy and tenderness in the sacrament of Confession, we receive the graces we need to start our process of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not something simple, but at the same time it is not impossible, or something that is beyond our strength. When we look at our soul, when we analyze our intentions, when we realize that we all are capable of all kinds of errors and horrors, it is right there that we can make the decision to start walking the path of forgiveness. So, again: forgiveness is a decision. A very personal one.  And if all of this seems not really substantial or convincing to start our personal process of forgiveness, let us stop for a moment and let us take a look to the most perfect example of forgiveness: The Lord on the cross. Jesus completely pardoned those who killed him. During the passion we do not hear the voice of the Lord with insults or complaints. He was full of meekness and humility all the time. Full of love. It is right there, in the presence of the supreme Love where forgiveness has its origin. Our ego invites us to hate and take revenge on others, to keep the last word. Our Lord invites us to forgive, and to forget, and to continue walking. Full of peace. Trusting in him alone • AE