The theme of forgiveness of sins runs through the three readings this Sunday. It is a forgiveness that goes beyond all limits and opens us to new possibilities of life, to a new hope. For those who have turned their lives into a disaster, God opens new paths. All is not lost because the God who raised Jesus from the dead is the God of merciful forgiveness, not of vengeance.
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles takes up one of Peter’s first speeches to the Jews. He speaks to some astonished Israelites who have witnessed a miraculous healing. But Peter makes use of the occasion to preach about the resurrection of Jesus, whom they had killed, that it was in Jesus name that this miracle was performed. In his name we can all repent and our sins will be erased. In the second reading, John tells us how we all have an advocate before the Father who always asks for the forgiveness of our sins. That advocate is Jesus. He died not only for the forgiveness of our sins but for those of the whole world.
And in the Gospel, the message of forgiveness is presented together with the message of peace. The risen Jesus appears to his disciples and the first thing he does is wish them peace. When they recognise him, the disciples are filled with joy. They are astonished because they had seen him dead on the cross and now, they see him alive at their side. Jesus explains to them that everything had happened in accordance with the scriptures. The Messiah was to suffer, die and rise from the dead. And in his name conversion and forgiveness of sins will be preached to all peoples.
The message of forgiveness is therefore present in all three readings. And the Gospel crowns the message with peace. Forgiveness brings peace to people’s hearts and to society. Today’s gospel tells the world and to us that there is no other way to achieve peace, but through forgiveness. Revenge has never been the way to achieve peace; revenge begets greater violence, because revenge is only capable of creating more violence and death. This is true for people and nations. Jesus breaks this spiral of violence. When the author of life was killed, God raised him from the dead and opened for us the path to true peace. It is the way of forgiveness. The forgiveness that we generously receive from God and the forgiveness that we also generously give to our brothers and sisters as we receive it from God.
For your reflection
Have we ever experienced in our lives how violence only begets violence? Do we know any examples of the opposite, how forgiveness has been able at one time to break the spiral of violence? Who do we need to forgive today? From whom do we need to receive forgiveness?
Father Fernando Torres CMF
www.ciudadredonda.org
Translated by Father Alberto Rossa CMF
