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Jesus prayed always (see Lk 18:1). He even prayed while He was hanging on the cross and dying. He prayed: "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing" (Lk 23:34). With His last breath, He prayed: "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit" (Lk 23:46). These two prayers are related. To give ourselves totally to the Lord, we must forgive. When Jesus taught us to pray, He taught us to ask our Father in heaven to give us our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses. If we do not give forgiveness, we are not giving our "all." Therefore, we are not giving as Jesus gives. Thus, we must forgive in order to give our lives to the Lord. During Holy Week, we are encouraged to accept the grace to forgive all those who have sinned against us. Jesus forgave us for participating in His crucifixion through our sins. We have been forgiven the unimaginable sin of being involved in crucifying God (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 598; cf Acts 3:15). In thanksgiving for being forgiven, we should pass on the Lord's forgiveness to those who have sinned against us (Mt 18:33). Jesus died forgiving His enemies. May we live forgiving our enemies and thereby give our lives to Him as a total, unblemished sacrifice (see Lv 1:3; cf Rm 12:1). |
