By Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407), Bishop

"Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (Mt 6,12)

Christ asks two things of us:

- to condemn our own offences and
- to forgive those of others,

doing the first of these for the sake of the second, which will become easier in consequence. Whoever reflects on his own sins becomes less severe towards those of his fellow in wretchedness. We become also more forgiving, too, from the bottom of our heart, lest we turn on ourselves the barb with which we aimed to stab others.

What hurt is your enemy capable of inflicting compared to that which you inflict on yourself?

If you give way to indignation and anger you will be hurt, not by the insult he has done to you, but by the resentment you bear for it.

So don’t say: “He has insulted and slandered me and caused me a great deal of unhappiness.”

The more you say he has hurt you, the more you show he has done you good since he has given you the chance of being purified of your sins.
Thus, the more he does to offend you, the more he places you in a position to obtain forgiveness for your own offences from God. For if we will, no one can harm us; even our enemies do us great service by this means.
Consider, then, how many advantages you draw from an insult endured humbly and gently.