Today's gospel is a dramatic little story about the nature of forgiveness. Jesus told it in answer to a question by Peter, who wanted to know how often he was obliged to forgive someone.

Peter learnt in his own experience what it means to need forgiveness for having betrayed love, and to receive unlimited forgiveness for what he had done. One of the most poignant scenes in the gospel is when Jesus in His passion turned to look at Peter who had just denied knowing Him, and Peter went out "and wept bitterly". In the scene by the Sea of Galilee, Peter received more than forgiveness, for the One he had betrayed gave him an even greater trust than before.

God's forgiveness is far beyond our imagining, yet we wonder about how much we are "obliged" to forgive others. The question would not arise if we really could appreciate the depth and completeness of God's forgiveness of us, in response to our asking for His forgiveness. And perhaps that is the key: if we don't appreciate our own need to be forgiven, we won't be asking so intensely nor receiving so deeply. As for forgiving others, it is easier to do if we ourselves first appreciate how much we have been forgiven, and also if the person who has hurt or offended us actually does sincerely ask us to forgive them.