Christians must let go of grudges and forgive those who have wronged them, as forgiveness embodies the way of Jesus, papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown said Tuesday.
Speaking during Mass at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila, he encouraged those gathered to embrace forgiveness as a fundamental Christian virtue.
“Forgiveness is part of our DNA as Catholics. It’s part of what it means to be a Christian and it’s really the litmus test of Christianity if we’re able to forgive,” Brown said in his homily.
He also urged the rejection of the notion “an for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” or “you hit me, I hit you” kind of justice, which according to him, is the total opposite of forgiveness.
“That’s not what Christianity is all about. Christianity is something more. It’s about God’s forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of our brothers and sisters,” Brown said.
“As Christians we need to forgive. Forgiveness is the path to new life. Forgiveness is the way of the Lord Jesus,” he said.
The nuncio presided over the Mass on the first of the three-day retreat in honor of the Double Jubilee of St. Thomas Aquinas, which marks the 7th centenary of his canonization and his 750th death anniversary.
Students, academic and support staff, administrators, and alumni filled the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion for the retreat with the theme “Lord, nothing but you: Faith, Hope, and Love in the Heart of St. Thomas.”
