Forgiveness has in the past been very much a religious matter, perhaps even a specifically Christian concept. It was part of Jesus' teaching and entered into the Our Father, that prayer is the model of all Christian prayer and which in many ways highlights the necessary elements of a good Christian life.

In recent times, professional psychologists have become interested in the psychological, social, and even psychosomatic aspects of forgiveness. One of the interesting ideas stressed in these psychological studies is that reconciliation and forgiveness are different. Forgiveness or refusal is usually a personal matter, whereas reconciliation requires a certain interaction between two persons.

These thoughts can help us penetrate today's Gospel passage, which we commonly refer to as the reconciling of Peter. Jesus does not say that he has forgiven Peter. Rather, through his gentle questioning, he engages him in the act of reconciliation. In questioning Peter three times, Jesus is not reminding him of his threefold denial, for that would be cruel, almost vindictive. Jesus is engaged in his Messianic ministry of healing: he is healing Peter's heart and mind.