And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.
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Jerome
AD 420
Paul wants us to be gentle, approachable people, people who have left anger, bitterness, wrath and slander behind. If we are merciful and serene, taking the initiative in reaching out to others, our very approachability will overcome the shyness and fear of those for whom we reach out. .
The events which are past have greater force than those which are yet to come, and appear to be both more wonderful and more convincing. And hence accordingly Paul founds his exhortation upon the things which have already been done for us, inasmuch as they, on Christ's account, have a greater force. For to say, Forgive, and you shall be forgiven Matthew 6:14, and if you forgive not, you shall in nowise be forgiven Matthew 6:15—this addressed to men of understanding, and men who believe in the things to come, is of great weight; but Paul appeals to the conscience not by these arguments only, but also by things already done for us. In the former way we may escape punishment, whereas in this latter we may have our share of some positive good. Thou imitatest Christ. This alone is enough to recommend virtue, that it is to imitate God. This is a higher principle than the other, for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. Matthew 5:45 Beca...
If we are to attain to the kingdom of Heaven, it is not enough to abandon wickedness, but there must be abundant practice of that which is good also. To be delivered indeed from hell we must abstain from wickedness; but to attain to the kingdom we must cleave fast to virtue. Do you not know that even in the tribunals of the heathen, when examination is made of men's deeds, and the whole city is assembled, this is the case? Nay, there was an ancient custom among the heathen, to crown with a golden crown, — not the man who had done no evil to his country, for this were in itself no more than enough to save him from punishment—but him who had displayed great public services. It was thus that a man was to be advanced to this distinction. But what I had special need to say, had, I know not how, well near escaped me. Accordingly having made some slight correction of what I have said, I retract the first portion of this division.
For as I was saying that the departure from evil is sufficie...
Tell me what good it is to weed a garden if we do not plant good seed…. Sow good habits and dispositions. To be free from a bad habit does not mean we have formed a good one. We need to take the further step of forming good habits and dispositions to replace what we have left behind. .
Paul’s words contain a great mystery. “For,” he says in effect, “God took a chance in forgiving you. He placed his own Son in jeopardy. To forgive you he even sacrificed his Son. But you have received forgiveness time after time, at no risk or expense, yet you do not forgive.” —..
Patience means practicing forgiveness. To give patience is a far greater gift than to give money. The one who gives money to one who asks of him does indeed do a fine and admirable deed, but such a gift touches only the body. Spiritual gifts touch the soul with redemption. Hence one who forgives does good both to his own soul and to that of the one who has received forgiveness. .
