Everything depends on how we first present ourselves to God to ask for forgiveness. Asking forgiveness is different to apologizing for a mistake. "Sin is not a simple mistake. Sin is idolatry." The dynamics of forgiveness is the one taught by Jesus himself in the "Our Father". "Jesus teaches us to pray, Father: 'Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors'.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "God always forgives, always. But he asks me to forgive. If I do not forgive, in a sense, I close the door to God's forgiveness", said Pope Francis during morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, inspired by the Gospel.  In the passage Jesus says to Peter that we must forgive "seventy times seven", which is equivalent to "always", to reaffirm that God's forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of others are closely related, according to the teaching of the "Our Father".

Francis, said everything depends on how we first present ourselves to God to ask for forgiveness. The example comes from the reading of the day, which shows the prophet Azariah pleading for clemency for the sin of his people, who are suffering but also guilty of having "abandoned the law of the Lord".

Azariah does not ask God simply to excuse, or to overlook, the sinfulness of the people, but to forgive them: "Asking forgiveness is another thing: it's not the same as simply saying, 'excuse me.' Did I make a mistake? 'Sorry, I made a mistake. But, 'I have sinned!' - that is different: the one has nothing to do with the other. Sin is not a simple mistake. Sin is idolatry: it is to worship the idol, the idol of pride, vanity, money, 'my self', my own 'well-being'. So many idols do we have: and for this, Azariah does not apologize: he asks forgiveness."

Forgiveness must be asked sincerely, whole-heartedly - and forgiveness must be given whole-heartedly to those, who have injured us. The Pope recalled the action of the servant in the Gospel reading, who, having been forgiven a great debt by his master, yet fails to show such generosity of spirit to a fellow. The Holy Father explained that the dynamics of forgiveness are those, which  Jesus teaches us in the Our Father:

"Jesus teaches us to pray to the Father in this way: 'Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.' If I am not able to forgive, then I am not able to ask for forgiveness. 'But, Father, I confess, I go to confession ....'. 'And what do you do before you confess?' 'Well, I think of the things I did wrong.' 'Alright' 'Then I ask the Lord for forgiveness and promise not to do those things again.' 'Okay...and then go to the priest? Before you do, however, you're missing something: have you forgiven those who have hurt you?'"

Concluding, Pope Francis said that the forgiveness God will give you requires the forgiveness that you give to others. "This is what Jesus teaches us about forgiveness: first, asking forgiveness is not a simple apology, it is to be aware of the sin, of the idolatry that I have committed, of the many idolatries; second, God always forgives, always - but He asks me to forgive [others]. If I do not forgive, in a sense, I close the door to God's forgiveness. 'Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.'"

 

 

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