Accepting Apology

[Julio]

Although there may not be a specific command in Scripture to forgive those that are unrepentant, Christ does command us to "Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect".  That command alone covers everything, and I figure Catholic teaching uses that to expound on various areas of Moral theology.

We are to strive to be perfect...in everything. So, we are commanded to forgive....always.  Catholic teaching explains how to forgive...how to get there knowing our fallen natures and how to get there in the very difficult situations our fallen natures (oftentimes the other person's fallen nature) place us.

Amen. To forgive always. To be perfect.

[Miriam_M]

Awkward, you bring up some good points which may be outside of the topic of this thread, and because I do not wish to derail it or make the topic about me, so I'll PM you about those particular comments when I get a chance.

[Non Nobis]

Although there may not be a specific command in Scripture to forgive those that are unrepentant, Christ does command us to "Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect".  That command alone covers everything, and I figure Catholic teaching uses that to expound on various areas of Moral theology.

We are to strive to be perfect...in everything. So, we are commanded to forgive....always.  Catholic teaching explains how to forgive...how to get there knowing our fallen natures and how to get there in the very difficult situations our fallen natures (oftentimes the other person's fallen nature) place us.

Amen. To forgive always. To be perfect.

We are to be perfect by way of analogy (as mere man, with grace) not by nature (only God is Divine).

You know, actually Christ in the priest does not forgive mortal sin in the confessional without repentence (it is invalid if there is no kind of contrition); without perfect contrition it is presumptuous to think a man in mortal sin can be saved outside the Church.

Maybe this thread is mostly discussing forgiveness of men by men?

Forgiveness by God removes sin from the soul itself (from the offender). But I would think it does not force the will (i.e. in an evil adult) - repentence is voluntary

Forgiveness by (mere) man cannot remove sin. But in a good Christian, it can include prayer that the offender repents and that God forgives him. Who can say that someone will never
repent?

About Christ's forgiveness of his killers on the Cross. Maybe some miracle of enlightenment and grace occurred (even if not apparent in Scripture) so that his killers did repent after all.

[Julio]

^^Yes, I agree about the distinction between the obligation of every mortal to forgive ones fellow. On the other hand, God's mercy and forgiveness is in a different context.

On the forgiveness of God while He was on the cross, all that I know is that the Catholic Tradition and the Bible adds nothing to any of which that happened there. Like, St. Longinus pierced the body of Jesus and the blood of God fell upon his eyes and he was cured. Nothing was shown of contrition or repentance by this man who just stabbed God. The convertion and repentance of St. Longinus, happened thereafter. So, my take on that is it is what it was. There is none to be added out of the factual circumstances. "Maybe" is such a word that may lead to precarious situation.