Gospel Meditation: Forgive Seventy-Seven Times

I offer a guided Ignatian meditation on today's Gospel. This is an invitation to let the scripture enter into your heart and mind and speak personally to you. Ignatius said that meditation specifically engages our memory, thoughts, and will. We hear the word of God, and we ponder it, noticing any words, images, or ideas that speak to our hearts. And we speak to God about all of this.

If this way of praying is new – simply relax and try to become engaged in the text. Try not to worry about what you are “supposed to” be doing. If you find yourself distracted during your prayer, very gently bring yourself back to the scripture text.

If at any point during the guided meditation the scripture comes to life in such a way that God invites to you stay with a particular moment, follow the invitation that you sense, rather than move on to where the written meditation is going. In that case you might want to stop reading and continue on your own.

Today's Gospel is both incredibly generous and incredibly demanding. Jesus is saying that the well of forgiveness need never run dry. The listener knows how hard it is, sometimes, to forgive. At the same time, the listener knows how much forgiveness is needed for their own transgressions. Furthermore, the listener knows how hard it is, sometimes, to accept forgiveness. Developing a new understanding of forgiveness may be one step on the journey to become a more forgiving person, but the most important element is the grace of God. The only way we can learn to forgive the way that Jesus asks -- and also to accept such forgiveness -- is to ask God to teach us how.

• Choose a position where you can be relaxed but alert.
• Breathe deeply several times and let your body relax
• Breathe out any worries or stressful thoughts and put them in God’s hands
• Become aware of God’s presence here with you now, looking at you with love.

• Ask God for the the grace to forgive.

Read the passage slowly twice, savoring the words. The first time, just listen to get a sense of it, to hear what is being said. The second time, notice any word or phrase, image, or idea that speaks to your heart or “shimmers” for you. Stay with that word, image, or idea and ponder its meaning. Notice how it makes you feel. Savor the experience. 

What phrases or ideas in this passage have moved you, made you feel something – perhaps consoled, surprised, disturbed, or encouraged? Can you identify the phrase and the feeling?

Ask God what it means that you were moved in this way.

Ask God to remind you of a time in your life when you were forgiven for something you did or failed to do. Sit with this memory for a moment, paying attention to how it felt to be forgiven.

Now ask God to remind you of a time when you forgave someone who sinned against you. What was that like? How did it feel?

In the context of those memories, how does Jesus’ statement that one must forgive seventy-seven times affect you? Does it feel like an opportunity, or more like a burden?

Sometimes false ideas about forgiveness can get in the way of accepting Jesus’ teaching. False ideas include believing that forgiveness means allowing another to continue to hurt us, or that forgiveness and reconciliation are the same thing, or that forgiveness means forgetting. If any ideas like these hold you back from forgiving, ask Jesus to guide you as you seek to learn more about forgiveness.

Take a few moments to talk with Jesus about all you have reflected on, and what you are feeling and thinking right now. Speak with him as you would to a friend, sharing and listening. When you are ready, close with a favorite prayer.