Monday, January 24, 2022

Forgiveness For Me


The WORD today reminds me that I will decide if I want to ask for God's forgiveness or not. 

God is a loving God. He is a peaceful God. He is a forgiving God. There is no sin too big that he cannot and will not forgive. His love is greater than any sin. However, we see in the gospel that anyone who blasphemes and sins against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness. Why is this?

Forgiveness is a gift. One cannot have it if unwilling to ask or receive.

God is always ready to forgive. However, if someone sins against the Holy Spirit, it means that the person does not believe in Jesus at all. He does not believe in who God is. Not believing in Jesus and denying the very foundation of the faith means that person cannot receive God's forgiveness. It is not because God cannot or will not forgive. It's just that the person does not want forgiveness. The person does not accept who God is. The person does not recognize God. That is why no forgiveness will be given because no forgiveness is asked, or even recognized.

However, if we ask for forgiveness, we will get it. God is forgiving and generous. We know how loving and forgiving God is. We should make the most out of this. And as we are forgiven, we should strive to live right and pleasing to Him. We should strive to live consistent with the gospel values.

How do I see God? Do I recognize that he can forgive me? Do I ask for his forgiveness? When he forgives me, do I live right and pleasing to him?

May we always remember how loving and forgiving God is, and may it lead us to humbly come to him and ask for forgiveness.

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another week. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I am unwilling to come to you for forgiveness. And sorry for not living properly after receiving your forgiveness. Help me live in a way pleasing to you. As I receive forgiveness, may it lead me not just to forgive others, but love you more by the way I live. Amen

Blessed Week!

In Christ,
-g-

Ps
See related reflection:


Daily Readings

Memorial of Saint Frances de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Lectionary: 317

All the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
“Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
In days past, when Saul was our king, 
it was you who led the children of Israel out and brought them back.
And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel 
and shall be commander of Israel.’”
When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron, 
King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD, 
and they anointed him king of Israel.
David was thirty years old when he became king, 
and he reigned for forty years: 
seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah, 
and thirty-three years in Jerusalem
over all Israel and Judah.

Then the king and his men set out for Jerusalem 
against the Jebusites who inhabited the region.
David was told, “You cannot enter here: 
the blind and the lame will drive you away!” 
which was their way of saying, “David cannot enter here.”
But David did take the stronghold of Zion, which is the City of David. 

David grew steadily more powerful,
for the LORD of hosts was with him.

Responsorial Psalm

R.        (25a)  My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
Once you spoke in a vision,
            and to your faithful ones you said:
“On a champion I have placed a crown;
            over the people I have set a youth.”
R.        My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
“I have found David, my servant;
            with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
            and that my arm may make him strong.”
R.        My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
            and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
I will set his hand upon the sea,
            his right hand upon the rivers.”
R.        My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, 
“He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and
“By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”

Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, 
“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself, 
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, 
he cannot stand; 
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property 
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.  
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies 
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit 
will never have forgiveness, 
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.” 


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