“Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Jesus Christ gives us one of the hardest commands in the Christian life: forgive from the heart.

We may tell someone we forgive them, yet later slander them, replay the offense, or secretly continue holding resentment. This homily asks a difficult question: Did we really forgive at all?

True forgiveness begins with our own conversion.

The path described here is deeply rooted in Byzantine Catholic spirituality: prayer, fasting, examination of conscience, Confession, and especially the Jesus Prayer:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

The spiritual fathers compare the Jesus Prayer to drops of rain falling upon a hard field. Each prayer slowly softens the heart until it becomes ready to receive the commandments of Christ.

An honest examination of conscience also wounds our pride by showing us our own brokenness. Confession then becomes medicine for the soul, while fasting disciplines the passions and helps us focus more clearly on God.

Over time, these practices mold us according to God’s will and make forgiveness increasingly possible.

This is not an easy path. It may take years — even a lifetime.

But the promise remains:

Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

🙏 Lord Jesus Christ, soften our hearts and teach us to forgive from the depths of our souls.

00:00 Glory to Jesus Christ
00:27 Forgive Your Brother From the Heart
00:36 A Difficult Parable of Jesus
00:42 “Forgive and You Will Be Forgiven”
00:57 Entering Into God’s Mercy
01:16 Why We Must Forgive Without Hindrance
01:31 Did We Really Mean Our Forgiveness?
01:50 Forgiveness Is a Lost Art
01:56 Self-Love and the Modern World
02:15 Pride Pushes Forgiveness Away
02:25 How Do We Begin to Forgive?
02:37 Prayer, Fasting & Spiritual Discipline
02:45 Examination of Conscience
02:57 The Jesus Prayer
03:11 The Jesus Prayer Softens the Heart
03:28 Seeing Our Own Brokenness
03:46 Conquering Self-Love and Ego
04:02 Confession as Medicine for the Soul
04:13 Why Christians Fast
04:22 Asceticism Helps Us Imitate God
04:31 Forgiveness Becomes Easier Through Grace
04:43 Discipline Changes the Heart
05:05 Being Molded According to God’s Will
05:13 The Spiritual Fight Takes Years
05:22 The Fruit of Perseverance
05:38 Forgive With Your Whole Heart
05:55 Entering Into God’s Grace
06:03 “Forgive and You Will Be Forgiven”
06:12 Ask God to Soften Your Heart
06:20 The Necessary Path to Paradise
06:32 The Power of One True Forgiveness
06:41 Final Exhortation
06:58 The Martyr’s Walk
07:14 Sensus Fidelium App

For more please visit https://lifegivingspringspodcast.podbean.com/ & remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the priest.

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