By Parthenios Asimides, Archimandrite of the Holy Monastery of Sidirokastro
“For if you forgive men their sins…” is the phrase that brings meaning to the fourth Sunday of the Great Lent.
Our Holy Church, wishing to prepare us for the spiritual struggle we are called upon, presents a special virtue, that of forgiveness.
Forgive me! Such a difficult word. A word “unknown” to the majority, unfortunately. Even those who theoretically know it, find it difficult to use it. A word that bears two opposite situations.
The one asking for forgiveness seems to be at a disadvantage, because in accepting his/her guilt he/she is humiliated. On the other hand, the one accepting the forgiveness seems to be in a more powerful position, a fact that can escalate the feeling of arrogance and, if managed wrongfully, succumb to evil egoism.
Our Lord gives a motive in order for us to avoid rejecting forgiveness: Remission of sin by God himself. At the same time, though, He states that the same negative stance goes for us. If we do not forgive, we do not receive forgiveness.
He obliges us to act voluntarily, as He acts naturally. To imitate Him. Besides, this is an element of our nature since human Creation.
Man who follows this healthy path, blesses those mocking him, endures those persecuting him, consolidates those who slander him. He does everything so as not to become disqualified from love.
Therefore, we should scrutinize meticulously our conscience, lest we endanger our conciliation to our fellow men, due to our own neglect and fault, either by not accepting our guilt in front of him so as not to feel humiliated or by disgracing him by rejecting his acceptance of guilt in front of us.
This procedure of self-examination is unthinkable for someone who does not include forgiveness in his everyday life, or cannot overcome his egoism.
He does not humiliate himself by asking forgiveness, which, as the positive response, is of highest importance for humanity. This is true, because in most cases, we seek remission by God for “crimes” committed against our fellow men.
If we contemplate that, in Last Sunday’s evangelical passage, Lord Himself claims that the God-Judge identifies himself with the “minority” of our fellow humans, we realize that we have committed the sins, injustices and any other crime against God Himself. Vice versa, any improper attitude against God has an immediate impact on our relation with fellow men.
Nevertheless, simply accepting or asking for forgiveness does not mean disposing egoism and inner arrogance.
Forgiveness may not spring from unconditional love, but from various situations and conditions, which render it necessary.
However, such a forgiveness has no spiritual value. It is based on lies and hypocrisy. It causes negative and repressed feelings which may lash out if they get the chance.
So, we must also examine the reason of forgiveness. The aim and the motive play a substantial role to any action in spiritual life.
They define the spiritual value of the good deeds, such as fasting, continues the passage of Our Lord, who urges those fasting not to manifest it.
According to all the above, forgiveness is bound to be the outcome of repentance. To spring from a life-giving inner sadness, according to which man is freed by giving up himself.
Forgiveness means greatness of soul of the man who yearns and struggles to imitate God. It is not just a feeling.
It is something far more grand and deep: A complex path of transformation, that directs the soul to the prospect of death and the Resurrection of Christ.
