Daily Devotional

When I look at the Cross, I realise Jesus Christ will forgive every sin. It was on the cross that Jesus said to the thief, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43). It was also on the Cross that Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34). Meditate on the Cross, place yourself in the shoes of that repentant thief and say, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Who suffers more when I don’t forgive? Is it me or the one who offended me? So far, we have seen that I suffer more when I don’t forgive. Forgiveness is hard, but better than holding on to past grudges and pain. If it weren’t a better option, Jesus would not have recommended it. In today’s second reading, St. Paul says, “None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.” Remember: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I shall return.” (Job 1:21). Make your life a blessing to others; forgive and be kind even to those who hurt you. This world is not our own; we are just passing through it.

Jesus wants us to understand today that our goodness, that is, our ability to bear good fruits, depends on how well we practice what his words teach us. By practising the word of God we hear daily, we become like a house built on a firm foundation, impossible to shake. Refusal to practice God’s words amounts to a refusal to feed the good dragon, and this leads to a cycle of perpetual sinfulness.