Jesus Forgives
I intend … to forgive every offense against me … [and] pray now and forever, for my offenders, embracing them in God as my dearest benefactors. (OOCC, X, pp. 408 - 409; STA, 468)
Forgiveness was one of the themes Jesus constantly preached during his public ministry. But from the cross before his death, he practiced forgiveness by declaring his love for the very people who condemned and killed him. The first words Jesus spoke from the cross pointed to Jesus’ loving heart, a heart that did not nurse any ill feeling. Jesus though hurt and in pain, had no bitterness against his killers in his heart. He found their ignorance of what they were doing as reason to justify their behavior. Jesus, true to his teaching on love of enemies, did not accuse or condemn his killers, nor did he proclaim his innocence. Instead he interceded with his father to forgive them, telling him that had they known the gravity of the matter, they would have never done what they did to him. St. Vincent Pallotti was fascinated by the example of Jesus’ forgiveness of his detractors and killers. Inspired by the example of Jesus, he vowed to forgive every offense against him. He constantly prayed for his offenders, embracing them in spirit before God’s presence, considering them as his dearest benefactors.
What is my attitude towards those persons who offend me seriously? Do I have a loving heart that forgives and finds some reason to justify the behavior of my detractors? Do I pray for those who offend me? Do I see them as benefactors of my spiritual life?
Father, forgive them; they know not what they do. (Lk. 23: 34)