In today's Gospel, we are told to be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful. God shows us mercy through forgiveness, when we sin, even before we repent. God's forgiveness is a choice that he makes out of love. His forgiveness is given to us freely. It is total. Once he forgives, he lets go. He forgets, as he puts our sins away from him, as far as the east is from the west. Like God, our forgiveness is a choice to do what God calls me to do, not from a feeling that the Devil stirs in him not to forgive. This choice flows from our love of God.  For us forgiveness is difficult, because our focus is on ourselves, not on our relationship with God. Thus, forgiveness is a process for us, dependent on the grace of God to persevere in remaining a forgiving person. But if want to be forgiven, we need to forgive.