The God of Forgiveness
In the fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, we ask for forgiveness from the very Author of forgiveness. The Roman Catechism, in its opening words on the fifth petition of the Our Father, highlights the forgiveness of God in the Scriptures and chiefly in the Passion of our Redeemer. Yet the Catechism distinguishes this petition from those which precede it on a rather significant point:
“In this Petition we enter on a new manner of praying. For hitherto we asked of God not only eternal and spiritual goods, but also transient and temporal advantages; whereas we now ask to be freed from the evils of the soul and of the body, of this life and of the life to come.”
The Roman Catechism continues by explaining the two dispositions which must accompany this petition: acknowledgment of sin and sorrow for sin. However, we must do more than merely call to mind our sins since true sorrow must accompany this petition, just as sorrow for sin is required for the Sacrament of Confession. But far from merely considering the horror of sin which may lead to despair, we should have unbridled hope in our Redeemer.
Debts
After explaining the motives and dispositions that should be at the forefront of our minds during this petition in prayer, the Roman Catechism next explains the meaning of the words of this petition, beginning with “debts.” We ask of Almighty God: “forgive us our debts.” What debts? As shown in the Catechism, they refer to the debt owed to God from our sins. Furthermore, the Catechism does not fail to explain that the pardon we seek applies to both venial and mortal sins, while acknowledging the need for the Sacrament of Confession to removal the latter:
“Here we ask pardon not only for our venial offenses, for which pardon may most easily be obtained, but also for grievous and mortal sins. With regard to grave sins, however, this Petition cannot procure forgiveness unless it derives that efficacy from the Sacrament of Penance, received, as we have already said, either actually or at least in desire.”
The Catechism of St. Pius X likewise recognizes our debts to be sins on account of the justice owed to God for them:
“Our sins are called debts, because we must satisfy God’s justice for them either in this life or in the next.”
“Forgive Us”
While we hope for Heaven and work to satisfy the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven, we do not neglect in praying for our fellow man. For this reason of charity, our Divine Redeemer especially taught us to pray “forgive us” instead of “forgive me.” Charity demands that we seek the salvation of souls by praying and working for their conversion (whether initial or ongoing).
Conditional Forgiveness
We would be remiss if we did not reflect upon the condition which Our Lord Himself attached to this petition: “…as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Our forgiveness is predicated on the forgiveness of our fellow man, as The Catechism of St. Pius X admonishes:
“Those who do not forgive their neighbor have no reason to hope that God will pardon them; especially since they condemn themselves when they ask God to forgive them as they forgive their neighbor.”
Fr. Pius Parsch, in “Sermons on the Liturgy,” reflects on this petition in the context of the 21st Sunday after Pentecost, while teaching:
“It is the only time in the prayer that we promise something in return for all the favors that we ask of God. God has forgiven us so many trespasses that we cannot even number them. Compared to these, how little are the offenses we have to forgive our neighbor. But we are bound to forgive our brethren from our heart, if we expect God to forgive the enormity of our sins. But who of us can honestly say that he fully forgives his fellow man, not retaining the least feeling of bitterness? Let us admit that we do not find it easy.”
Similarly, St. Augustine concisely teaches:
“When we say: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, we are reminding ourselves of what we must ask and what we must do in order to be worthy in turn to receive.”
Our Lord Himself provides a poignant parable on this matter in the king who took account of his servants in the Gospel of St. Matthew (18:21-35).
The Difficulty in Forgiving Others
Writer C.S. Lewis once wrote: “Forgiveness is a beautiful word, until you have something to forgive.” And this reality is often the case in the lives of even the most devout Catholics. Fr. Scott Haynes of the Archdiocese of Chicago comments on the extraordinary difficulty we often experience in forgiving others on account of our own desire for vindication:
“Why is forgiveness so hard for us? As Christians, we are to forgive just as Jesus forgave. Because of our sinful nature, forgiveness is unnatural. It seems we prefer revenge to forgiveness. Forgiveness is hard because it is not fair. It offends our sense of justice. We want vindication. Yet, Christ told us more than once, ‘Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.’ He established the forgiveness of our neighbor as the indispensable condition for obtaining forgiveness from God.”
Conclusion
The Roman Catechism concludes its reflection on the fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer by reminding the faithful of the various means whereby we make this petition fruitful. In so doing, the Catechism mentions six points, including the penitential dispositions which must accompany this petition, the need to avoid the dangers of sin in the future, and the merit of initiating fervent penitents. Furthermore, the frequent use of the Sacraments (especially Penance and the Holy Eucharist), in addition to almsgiving, prepare our souls for this heavenly command.
We should pray for our enemies each day. This is one of the chief means of forgiving everyone who injures us, no matter how small or large. While it is undoubtedly an extremely difficult thing to do in the moment when we feel violated, it is nonetheless essential. God commands us to forgive others. While we may in prudence not trust someone again with a secret, seek their friendship, or associate in business, we must, nevertheless, in prayer forgive those who injure us. God wills it and subordinates our own forgiveness to it. After all, if God, Who is infinitely offended by the least sin, died for our sins, we can surely forgive fellow sinners.
For a more thorough explanation of this and other petitions, see the book “The Roman Catechism Explained for the Modern World.”