Fr. Scott Pogatchnik; rector of St. Cloud's Church of St. Augustine, St. Mary's Cathedral and St. John Cantius Church; said in the Sept. 13 bulletin that forgiveness is a gift.

"Christian forgiveness is a gift," he said in the bulletin. "A most valuable and transforming gift. A gift that has to be received, felt and integrated into the heart to have its desired effect. That effect is a desire to extend to others the gift of forgiveness that has been offered to you."

This is what Jesus proposes to us when he sacrificed Himself on the cross. But forgiveness can be a difficult thing to conceive if we don't know the power it is. 

"When's the last time you truly went to someone and said, 'I'm sorry?'" Pogatchnik asked. "Who might the Lord be prompting you to reach out to? Is that person in your house? It need not be about something as weighty as the 10,000-talent debt incurred by the unrepentant servant in the gospel." 

No matter how small the act, forgiveness is powerful if there is meaning and sincerity behind it. Receiving an apology can also make one realize all the other apologies they would like. It may be that small things built up over time; but when many are "brushed off as 'no big deal,'" they gather into much more. 

"Meditating on this weekend's gospel has gotten me to consider the current slate of apologies that are holding me back from seeing God's reconciling power more fully," Pogatchnik said in the bulletin. "I'm praying for the humility to follow through. Forgiveness offered is not always forgiveness received— such is the nature of the gift— but this shouldn't deter us. Also important to remember is that forgiveness received does not deny or try to minimize the harm done."