Today’s readings are all about forgiveness. Sirach tells the Jewish people that in order for God to forgive their sins, they must forgive others…wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. In the Gospel, in response to Peter’s question about how many times one must forgive an injustice, Jesus gives us the parable of the king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. One servant who owed a huge sum and couldn’t pay it back was forgiven when he begged for mercy; but this same servant was unwilling to extend the same mercy to another and so paid the price for his selfishness. Our lives are full of injustices; all of us suffer hurt, either because one group of people hurts another group that we identify with, or because one individual hurts us personally. Sometimes the hurt is unintentional, and sometimes it is deliberate. It doesn’t matter; forgiveness is called for. God calls us to forgive, as we’ve been forgiven. It isn’t about earning a place in heaven, which none of us can do anyway. It’s about returning and sharing the love that God has for us with others. It’s been said that the best form of flattery is imitation, and we know how much we’ve been forgiven. It’s also about being happy; holding a grudge against another doesn’t hurt them, it only hurts us. God wants us to be happy, and He knows that we can’t be truly happy when we’re holding on to hurt and pain. Ask yourself today who you need to forgive. What hurt and pain do you need to let go of? If you need help, ask Jesus…He knows all about forgiveness.