Forgive Seventy-Seven Times

Feast day: March 10

Jesus teaches about unlimited forgiveness through the parable of the unforgiving servant.

The call to forgive without limit

Peter asks Jesus, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus answers, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times." To explain, he tells the parable of a servant whose master forgave him a massive debt, but who then choked a fellow servant for a very small debt. Upon hearing this, the master became angry and handed him over to the torturers. Jesus concludes: If we do not forgive our brothers from our hearts, God will treat us the same way. This is a call to unlimited forgiveness because we have been forgiven so much by God.

Prayer

Forgiveness, the mark of a disciple

Forgiveness marks the true disciple. We cannot cling to hatred when we ourselves have received mercy.
Forgiveness is an act of love. It frees us from the prison of resentment and bitterness.

Lord, teach me to forgive others as You have forgiven me.

Prayer

Lord, cleanse my heart of all resentment so that I may offer forgiveness just as You have forgiven me.

The text on this page is the card in the Catholic Information app, word for word.