“I don’t tell you to forgive up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Mt. 18:21-19:1

Jesus exhorts us to open ourselves courageously to the power of forgiveness because not everything in life is resolved with justice. We know it. That merciful love is needed, which is also the basis of the Lord’s answer to Peter’s question that precedes the parable: ‘Lord, how often must I forgive the offenses that my brother does to me?’ And Jesus answered him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’ In the symbolic language of the Bible, this means that we are called to always forgive. We cannot claim God’s forgiveness for ourselves if we, in turn, do not grant forgiveness to our neighbor.

Seventy times seven means: ALWAYS!!