“I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times”
In the Gospel Jesus says to forgive each other not seven times but seventy-seven times.
What does Jesus mean by “seventy-seven times”? “In Hebrew the figure of seventy times seven means the same as ‘always’" [1] Seven is considered the number of divine perfection. God rested on the seventh day. For Jesus to say seven times seven meant “perfection times perfection”. We see in the Old Testament the story of Lamech using the perfect number seven in an evil. Lamech was from the descendants of Cain. He swore wrath and anger towards anyone that might confront him. He spoke of killing a man and even a boy. He then said he would avenge seventy seven times on all of his enemies. (cf. Gen. 4:17-24).
Jesus takes back the true sense of the term seventy-seven. Not to inflict revenge on someone forever, but to show forgiveness and mercy forever. “Therefore, our Lord did not limit forgiveness to a fixed number, but declared that it must be continuous and forever” [2] While we can easily get hung up on the numbers and what they mean, we have to look past the numbers to the reality that our Lord is telling us to always forgive. “Saint Augustine said, “If your brother has offended you seventy-seven, even a hundred times, forgive him; yes, forgive him as often as he offends you; for if Christ found thousands of sins on earth, and yet pardoned them all, do you also not refuse mercy.” [3]
Search: Frequent Forgiveness
How did the apostles live this teaching out? Jesus instructs Peter and the apostles today in the Gospel to show unlimited forgiveness and mercy because God shows it to us. Where there is sin, there must be forgiveness. Saint Paul writes, “where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more” (Romans 5:20). This teaching of Christ to forgive is evermore perpetuated and realized after His Resurrection. In fact the evening of His Resurrection He gives the power to absolve sins to His Apostles. “After his Resurrection, Christ sent his apostles ‘so that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations.’ The apostles and their successors carry out this ‘ministry of reconciliation,’ not only by announcing to men God’s forgiveness merited for us by Christ, and calling them to conversion and faith; but also by communicating to them the forgiveness of sins in Baptism, and reconciling them with God and with the Church through the power of the keys, received from Christ…” [4]
How do we work to forgive others “seventy-seven” times?
First, start in the home. “Children in turn contribute to the growth in holiness of their parents. Each and everyone should be generous and tireless in forgiving one another for offenses, quarrels, injustices, and neglect. Mutual affection suggests this. The charity of Christ demands it.” [5] When Mother Teresa received the Nobel Prize, she was asked, “What can we do to promote world peace?” Her answer was simple: “Go home and love your family.” The words “I love you” and “I forgive you” should ring throughout our homes. A day should not go by without hearing these wonderful words that cannot be uttered without the grace of God.
Second, let us practice the virtue of patience. “Since God has such great patience with us, ought not this to move us to have patience likewise with the faults and weaknesses of our fellow-men, and to resign ourselves patiently in all the sufferings and tribulations sent us from God!” [6]
Search: Patience is a Virtue
Discussion Questions
When have you been impatient? Did it ever go better when you gave into impatience with others?
Does it seem people are more or less patient these days? Why?
Third, let us remember that we are forgiven. “Let us at least contract the habit of being merciful towards our fellow-men, since every night we are pardoned all our miseries, on the sole condition of owning them. It is an excellent practice, not to go to bed without putting ourselves in the dispositions of a little child, who can rest his head on God’s bosom, and there fall asleep. But, if we thus feel it a happy necessity, to find in the heart of our heavenly Father forgetfulness of our day’s faults, and an infinitely tender love for us, how can we, at that very time, dare to be storing up in our minds any bitterness against our neighbors, our brethren, who are also His children?” [7] When we show mercy, we are imitating Christ. Saint Paul writes, “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
What does it mean to forgive from the heart? We must first ask what is in our heart. There is evil in our hearts, when our hearts are more or less deprived of good. Hatred, jealousy, envy, etc. thus can start in the heart and manifest themselves through our actions. To deliberately act on these evils is sinful. However, we can reverse this if we have love. Love begins in the heart and belongs to the heart. If our heart is full of God, and not deprived of His goodness there will be no room for evil. To forgive from the heart means “to banish from the heart all hatred, ill-will and revengeful desires, to treasure a true and sincere love towards our offenders and enemies not only in our hearts, but also manifest it externally by deeds of charity. Therefore those have not forgiven from their hearts, who, indeed, say and believe, that they have no ill-will against their enemy, but everywhere avoid him, refuse to salute him, to thank him, to pray for him, to speak to him, and to help him in necessity, even when they might do so, but who rather rejoice at his need.” [8] We can banish from our heart all evil only when we fill our heart with good. When the good flows into the heart it displaces the evil. This is a difficult task but must occur at the very moment that we have felt hurt or offended. “Force yourself, if necessary, always to forgive those who offend you, from the very first moment. For the greatest injury or offence that you can suffer from them is as nothing compared with what God has pardoned you.” [9]
[1] Navarre Bible pg. 131
[2] St. John Chrysostom, Hom. On St. Matthew, 6
[3] Goffine; The Church’s Year, pg. 166
[4] CCC 981
[5] CCC 2227
[6] Goffine, The Church’s Year, pg. 574
[7] Abbot Gueranger O.S.B., The Liturgical Year; Vol. 11; pgs.450-451
[8] Goffine, The Church’s Year pg. 450
[9] St. Josemaria Esvrica, The Way, 452