By The Rev. Joseph Gouin

One day Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone. In thinking about this, perhaps a better question would be, “Why should we forgive?”

I suggest two very good reasons why we should forgive. The first is that we should forgive because we have been forgiven by others and especially by the Lord.

The second reason is because if we don’t forgive, it will hurt us more than anyone. There are some people who fester and carry the resentment of an unforgiving spirit that turns their life into a torture chamber. This causes many to have difficulty sleeping and health problems. They have such hatred in their hearts.

The man who will not forgive can hurt a lot of people. He can destroy a lot of relationships and break many hearts.

Peter asked how often we must forgive, but I think equally import is the question why we must forgive. The answer is two-fold: first, because we need forgiveness ourselves and second, because when I fail to forgive, I hurt myself more than anyone else. God bless.