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40 Days of Lent: Day 27

40 Days of Lent: Day 27

09 Mar 2023 | Office for Mission and Identity (OMI)

40 Days of Lent: Day 27

For those of us who have suffered the consequences of dishonesty, intentional or unintentional mistakes, and shortcomings, we know that forgiveness can be difficult. It can take time. It can require a magnanimity more than our usual disposition. It can challenge the best and purest of hearts. In fact, the English poet Alexander Pope wrote that “To err is human, to forgive divine.”

Jesus was indeed divine. He got angry. He did not deny that we are sinners. He showed frustration and sadness at different times. But forgiveness was always within his reach. He never withheld it even from those who crucified him. He did not make it difficult which we saw in how he immediately accepted the repentant thief. He never removed it as a choice even when the pain caused him was so deep such as when his very own friends turned away from him.

Perhaps we cannot always, or ever, forgive as how Jesus did it so fully and readily. But since we were created by the Divine Lord, we do have in our core what makes forgiveness possible. And so who do you need to forgive? What do you need to forgive in others and maybe even yourself? Listing these down will not make it easier. In fact, some feelings may still surface as you recall instances and moments of being hurt. But difficulty and death are not the end of the story for Jesus rose on the third day. Because he did not succumb to sin and damnation, he allowed us to have a chance at freedom and life away from the chains of not being forgiven or not forgiving.

40 Araw ng Kuwaresma: Ika-27 Araw

Para sa ating mga nagdusa na sa kasinungalingan, kinusa man o kabig na pagkakamali, at mga pagkukulang, batid natin na hindi madali ang magpatawad. Maaaring mangailangan ito ng panahon. Maaaring hingiing higit na magparaya kaysa sa dati. Maaaring hamunin nito ang pinakamabuti at pinakadalisay nating kalooban. Sa katunayan, ayon nga sa makatang Ingles na si Alexander Pope: “Ang magkasala ay maging tao, ang magpatawad ay maging banal.”

Tunay ngang banal si Hesus. Nagalit siya. Hindi niya itinanggi na makasalanan tayo. Nagpakita siya ng inis at lungkot sa maraming pagkakataon. Subalit laging abot-kamay ang pagpapatawad sa kanya. Hindi niya ito ipinagkait kahit pa sa mga nagpako sa kanya sa krus. Hindi niya ito ipinagdamot na nakita noong pinatawad niya ang nagsisising magnanakaw. Hindi niya ito ipinag-imbot kahit pa malalim ang sakit na dulot ng pagtakwil sa kanya ng mga mismong kaibigan.

Marahil hindi tayo lagi, o kailanman, makapagpapatawad nang ganap o dagli tulad ni Hesus. Subalit dahil nilikha tayo ng Banal na Panginoon, nasa ubod din natin ang paggawad ng kapatawaran. Kung kaya, sino ang mga kinakailangan mong patawarin? Ano ang mga kailangan mong ipagpatawad sa kapwa at marahil maging sa sarili? Hindi ito padadaliin ng pagtatala. Sa totoo lang, maaaring may mga damdaming lumitaw habang binabalikan ang pagdaralita. Subalit tandaan na hindi ang hirap at kamatayan ang katapusan nito dahil alam nating nabuhay muli si Hesus sa ikatlong araw. Dahil hindi siya nalupig ng kasalanan at kawakasan, ipinagkaloob niya sa atin ang kalayaan at buhay na lubos ng kapatawaran at pagpapatawad.