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Men of Epiphany will be meeting this Saturday, June 30th, 6:30 a.m. in the Hearth room. If you can make it, this study is a marvelous preparation for each week's Mass readings.

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Forgiving Others As God Has Forgiven Us

Sunday, July 1, 2007
1 Kings 19:16,19-21
Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11
Galatians 5:1,13-18
Luke 9:51-62

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Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them? (Luke 9:54)

We all know people who can rile us up and make us want to lash out in retaliation. But we all know that the best response is to try our best to forgive and move on—just as Jesus did. Whether we have suffered a small offense or a more serious insult, it is vital that we remember the One who is truly good. That’s the best way to help heal the pain and neutralize any desire for revenge. God loves us, and he is committed to making all of us good.

God loves each of us, both those who hurt people and those who get hurt. It may be hard to accept this when we are the ones hurting, but no one ever said that mercy and forgiveness were easy. Just remember what it cost Jesus to win our forgiveness, and you’ll get a sense of how difficult it can be—and how highly God values it.

The next time someone offends you in any way, remember that you too have been forgiven a great debt—and by Someone who is himself the Lord our Justice. None of us deserves mercy, yet we have been granted it freely and with no strings attached. In awe of the astounding love he has for us, we realize we are not worthy of it. He lavishes it not only on us, but also on those who want to harm us.

This is not to say that we should automatically respond to mistreatment with a vague wave of the hand, as if it doesn’t matter. We will get hurt, and we will have to deal with our own pain. But we will save a lot of energy if we turn to our Father and let his mercy fill us and empower us to forgive just as freely as we have been forgiven.

“Lord, in your mercy you have given me something I do not deserve. Teach me to show the same mercy to those who have hurt me.”

Questions for Reflection/Discussion by Catholic Men

1. In the first reading, Elisha followed God’s inspiration in spite of what the costs might be. We are often afraid of following God because we think he will ask too much of us. We even use it as an excuse not to try. What are the “small things” God is asking of you that you have been struggling to carry out? What steps can you take to be more responsive to God’s call on your life?
2. God our Father is not a demanding taskmaster. He is full of love and kindness toward you. The responsorial psalm says he promises us “fullness of joys” and “delights”. Can you share experiences in your life where doing God’s will has brought joy and delight to you and to others?
3. In the letter to the Galatians, St. Paul asks us to “serve one another through love.” What practical steps can you take to respond to God’s call by serving your brothers in your men’s group and your parish community?
4. St. John of the Cross wrote that when the evening of this life comes, we will be judged on love. Imagine you have only a few months to live. Are you satisfied with you progress in loving God and the people in you life? What are some ways that you can increase your participation in God’s call to love?
5. The Gospel reiterates the point from the first reading, i.e., obeying God’s call to follow his will rather than our own. In practice, however, we often act as if God needs to accommodate himself to what we have already decided. What are some things you can do allow God, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to become more involved in your decision-making? For example, asking God his will first rather than just deciding on your own.
6. What is the meaning of these words from the meditation? “The next time someone offends you in any way, remember that you too have been forgiven a great debt—and by Someone who is himself the Lord our Justice. None of us deserves mercy, yet we have been granted it freely and with no strings attached. In awe of the astounding love he has for us, we realize we are not worthy of it. He lavishes it not only on us, but also on those who want to harm us.” How do these words apply to some of your relationships today?

Come Holy Spirit!  ~  Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and en kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your spirit and they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. Let us pray: O God, you taught the hearts of your faithful by sending them the light of your Holy Spirit. In that same spirit give us your right judgment and the joy of your consolation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayer to St. Joseph  ~  Glorious St. Joseph, guide and protector of the Holy Family, we ask that you obtain for us from your son, Jesus, the strength and wisdom to lead our families to their Father in heaven. Most Chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we imitate your obedience to the will of God and be ever mindful of the vocation to which we have been called. Amen