10 October 2005

Patristic Quote for the Day

[Citing John 20:22,23] Where are those who declare that sins cannot be forgiven human beings by human beings? Where are those who oppress people such that once they fall because of the devil's influence, they are never to arise? Where are those who out of their mean spirit take away and refuse a cure for infirmities and medicine for wounds Where are those who thwart sinners by shamelessly promoting despair of being forgiven and returning? - Sermon 84:7 by St. Peter Chrysologous

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Where are those who declare that sins cannot be forgiven human beings by human beings?

I hope it's not too far off the mark from what St. Chrysologous is saying, but I've often thought that what the world considers forgiveness, is really just *overlooking* ie *turning a blind eye*. Like saying, *we'll pretent this never happened...I won't hold such and such against you.* But the forgiveness Christ gives is of a different nature. When he forgives he takes away our offenses, he doesn't hold it against us because there is nothing there. As such, his justice is maintained. Hence human beings can only truly forgive (not count men's sins against them (as opposed to overlooking them)), because Christ took them away. The proverbial saying is quite true, *To err is human to forgive Divine*.