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That is why he asked the question. That is also why he has an answer. He asks Jesus, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?”
Peter had his reasons. He wanted to pass the point where he didn’t need to forgive anymore. Maybe he thought forgiving was condoning what happened. Or that he’d get hurt again if he forgave. Or if he forgave, he couldn’t savor his resentment. Or it hurt too much to forgive. Or he deserved to be angry. Or he wanted revenge. But revenge doesn’t heal injury. Revenge reinjures. Maybe he felt grounded by his grudges.
Or maybe Peter simply based his answer on the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs tells us that the justman “falls seven times a day and rises again” (Prv 24:16 NAB).
And then Jesus introduces Peter to some new math.
Forgiveness is not once and done. It is a long process. It is piece after piece, done in a safe place. Jesus says, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy- seven times.”
Numbers in the Bible are never just numbers. The number 7 points to the seven days of creation, the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven Sacraments. Seven is the number of fullness.
The number 10 points to the memory that when God created the world,He spoke ten times. There are Ten Commandments. But there were also ten plagues on Egypt, Israel rebelled against God ten times. Ten is the number of divine order, judgement and blessings.
7 x 10 = 70, and then another 7 is added for the fullness to overflow.
Forgiveness is not saying that what happened to us is okay. It is not us putting ourselves back into danger; it is not compromising our safety.
Forgiveness is not reconciliation. Forgiveness is personal for me. Forgiveness involves what I do, not necessarily what I dowith someone else … that is reconciliation. Forgiveness, when Jesus says it, means a fullness beyond our own reach - but a fullness that God shares with us. Seventy seven times. There are many steps to forgiveness. Jesus indicates there are 77 steps to forgiveness. He walks the journey with us. We are not alone.
Take the next step.
God bless,
Msgr. Bransfield
