In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 6, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. We know it as the Lord's Prayer, or the Our Father. But immediately after that prayer, He says something that most people have never heard, or at least never paid attention to.
"If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father in heaven forgive you." Now let me ask you, do you see any ambiguity there? Any wiggle room? I don't. Jesus makes it clear that forgiveness is not optional. It is a necessary part of our journey. And if we withhold forgiveness, God will do the same for us. Read those words of Jesus again, and contemplate the horrible ramification of not forgiving others.
Father, give us a spirit of forgiveness, that we may be forgiven by you. Amen.
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