About mercy and forgiveness
A Gospel Enquiry
Introduction
Did Fr Joseph Cardijn develop the See, Judge, Act method for use by individuals? In an article he wrote, which was first published in 1951, he emphasised “the necessity of setting the apostolic life of laypeople in a communal frame-work, illumined by a communal vision.”
The “communal frame-work” to which he refers is characterised by “aspirations and testimonies of Christian charity, poverty, detachment, purity—in short, a fully Christian life according to the Gospels”. The See, Judge, Act method was Cardijn’s way of forming and maintaining the “communal frame-work.” Further in his article, he makes the point that Christian formation is not an individual thing. We need others in order to be saved.
By far the largest group in the Church is made up of laypeople. Cardijn asserted that “laypeople form themselves amongst themselves through brotherly contact with one another and an interaction which permits all individual qualities and responsibilities to be brought into play.”
So, what does this mean for users of this and other Gospel Enquiries? While it is possible to engage in the Enquiry as a private reflection activity, its true worth can be found only in an ecclesial context, that is, when friends gather to reflect and act on the life and work of Jesus presented through the Gospels.
The Gospel
Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’
Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times. And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. “Give me time” he said “and I will pay the whole sum.” And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me” he said. His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, “Give me time and I will pay you.” But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. “You wicked servant,” he said “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’
Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and he left Galilee and came into the part of Judaea which is on the far side of the Jordan. (Matthew 18:21-19:1)
The Enquiry
See
Summarise what happens in this scene from Matthew’s Gospel? A story within a story: Identify the element(s) that unite(s) the stories.
How often is the cry for mercy heard in this Gospel scene? Look at the different responses to the cry for mercy. What happens when the cry for mercy is heard and mercy is given? What happens when the cry for mercy is ignored?
Look at the context for this Gospel scene. What does the context suggest about the purpose behind the inclusion of this scene in Matthew’s Gospel?
Judge
Based on your lived experience of the world, what do you make of Jesus’ teaching about mercy and forgiveness?
Recall an experience of mercy and forgiveness either in your own life or in the world. Are you satisfied that the outcome was as close as possible to the ideal?
How does Jesus challenge you through this Gospel scene?
Act
So, what do you want to change in yourself and in the world?
What small action can you carry out that will contribute to the change you want to see?
Who can you involve in your action, when, where and how often?
Image Source: Claude Vignon, 1593-1670 (Creator), A painting depicting the parable of the unforgiving servant, Paris, France, Picryl, PDM 1.0
Worth reading: Cardijn, J. (1964). Laypeople into Action. Originally published in French in 1963, this is the only book written by Cardinal Joseph Cardijn. The book was translated into English by Anne Heggie and published in 1964 as Laymen into Action. Almost 60 years later, ATF Press released an imprint of this classic. You may order a copy here. Cardijn’s words quoted in the Introduction were taken from Chapter 10: “The Formation of Laypeople for their Apostolate.”