Trespassers

Not long ago I read an article on the brain and emotions.

It said that science formerly held that the brain has two very separate regions.

One primal area that controls emotions, like fear, anger, sadness and joy.

And another more evolved area that controls intellect and reason.

What studies in the past twenty years have shown is that those brain areas aren’t so separate.

Pathways exist that let the intellect area communicate with the primal area.

Activity in these areas and pathways can now be studied with MRIs and other technology.

And certain activities and exercises in the intellect area can actually expand the pathways.

And increase the control of the intellect over the primal.

That control could lead to major breakthroughs in treatment of depression and other conditions.

At some levels, this understanding is not new.

People have always understood that we have some ability to control our emotions.

Even to shape our attitudes.

Repeated exercise in performing good acts, and thinking good thoughts can build good habits.

And good habits can become virtues.

Just as bad acts and bad thoughts can become vices.

I think Jesus had this in mind when he taught us how to pray.

The Lord’s Prayer is a series of petitions.

All the things that Jesus said we should ask for to enjoy our lives:

For everyone to join together in worshiping God

For the Kingdom of God to take shape on earth

For everyone to follow God’s will

For our daily needs to be met

For forgiveness of our sins

For freedom from temptation

And for protection from evil.

Those of us who pray clearly recognize all those things as things we need and want.

But one phrase in the Lord’s Prayer doesn’t seem to fit.

Why does Jesus have us saying:

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us?

Why should we ask to have a condition or limitation placed on the forgiveness we receive?

We would really like to say: Forgive us our trespasses—Period.

In our Gospel, Jesus elaborates on how important it is that we forgive others.

He tells us that the forgiveness we receive is indeed dependent upon the forgiveness we grant.

That condition and limitation is a fact-of-life, and we need to recognize it and respond to it.

Intellectually, we know the benefits of forgiving others.

We know that harboring grudges is damaging to our own health and well-being.

We know it’s damaging to our families, to society, to our own peace and to world peace.

Jesus added that clause to the one prayer he gave us, because he knows how our brains work.

The mental exercise of repeating that phrase reinforces the message to our intellect.

The repetition also widens those pathways to our primal emotions of anger and hurt.

And helps us keep control and make the intellectual choice.

The choice God wants us to make.

The choice God rewards us for making.

The choice to forgive.

Tuesday, 1st Week of Lent

Mt 6:7-15           Read this Scripture @usccb.org