Is there any chance for us to forgive someone when he/she insults, denies or makes mistake? Should we apologize the one who hurts us several times in our life? Just remember his/her face in your mind, now! I think this is a heavy questions when we were in fraternal correction chance. But, as Christians, forgiveness is not a choice.
It's a duty, Â better to say it is our first commandment above all that we have to be followed: "Love your neighbors and do not condemn/curse them!" Those who are sitting on the left/right side of us here, in my opinion, are the face of prodigal son? What should we do with them? Condemn? Judge? Punish? Or do we have to find another way that is beyond of our rational mind, like forgive?
Actually, this topic "Forgiveness," has already experienced by so many people in the world. And, we already known that The Only One who has placed this, first of all, was God. In the first reading Micah has shown us that God had shown us His faithfulness to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, and of course to our ancestors.
Micah emphasizes the Mercy of God by asking this question: "Who is a God like You, who takes away guilt and pardons crime for the remnant (puing2) of his inheritance? For You God delight in merciful forgiveness!" (Sebab Engkau Tuhan, suka mengampuni dan penuh kerahiman). The important thing that we have to be proud is The Merciful of God is never ended. The mercy of God goes-beyond! It clearly happened when God shown His Mercy by send His Only Begotten Son.
You can imagine that The only begotten Son, He still send Him and let him to be suffering, crucified and died on the cross. What kind of Father? Its nonsense. Sometimes we can understand this point when we saw those who offer their self (even if they will be died) just to make their family/relatives will be happy. Jesus died and the Kingdom of God will get the prize. Do we understand the suffering of God like this case? We may reflect it more!
Today's Gospel reminds us to be merciful. Please forgive them, forgive him/her, forgive us. This calling to forgive will lead us to our self: everybody, please forgive me! If we want to be forgiven, first of all, we have learn how to forgive. The parable of Prodigal Son is a good illustration how we should become a Christian. As Christians, we are invited to be like a merciful father: humble of heart, full of mercy and easy to forgive!
So, what we will get if we forgive someone? Spontaneously, I can say "We will get nothing!" In my reflection the gift that we will get is we will be forgiven. Obliviously, there is an economic exchange when we practice it. This is a kind of reciprocal or a calculation moment when we practice forgiveness. Â I forgive your fault, your mistake and everything because there will be a moment in which I receive a gift. It can be happened here and now, and its possible too that we will received it later in another place.
Forgiveness, for Jesus goes beyond (cal-resp-ec ex). And this is what we had already embrace and believe as Christian. Forgiveness creates a space for remedial, renewing and awareness. When we forgive someone, we let him/her to look in his/her self, to reevaluate and to learn how to be merciful.
What we have learn from these two readings of today, also remind us when we enter the cyber space. Which one we will choose: haters or lovers? Sometimes we are easy to crucified or condemn people with our words & comment. When the crowd demonstrate Novanto in social media, is there any space for us to forgive them? What should we do with them? What the Gospel, our tradition or Jesus Himself tell us when we were in front of them? Do we have to apologize them? All of these are silence questions!
