Be indulgent toward the wrongs of others, whatever they might be; do not judge with severity except where your own actions are concerned. The Lord will show indulgence toward you to the degree that you have shown indulgence toward others.

Uphold the strong: encourage them to persevere. Strengthen the weak by showing them the goodness of God, who takes the least repentance into  consideration. Show to  all the angel of repentance stretching out its white wings over human wrongs and veiling them from the eyes of the One who cannot look upon what is impure. Understand the infinite mercy of your Father and never forget to say to him through your thoughts and especially through your actions, “Forgive our offenses as we forgive those who have offended us.” Understand well the value of these sublime words; not only is their literal meaning praiseworthy, but also the teaching they contain.

What are you asking of the Lord when you ask him to forgive you? Are you asking him only to forget your offenses? Forgetting them will leave you with nothing, for if God were to limit himself to forgetting your wrongs, he would not punish you, but neither would he reward you. Reward cannot be payment for the good that is not done, much less for the evil that has been done, even if the evil has been forgotten. By asking God to forgive your transgressions, you are asking him the favor of his grace that you may not fall into them again, and for the strength needed to enter upon a new pathway, a way of submission and love upon which you can add reparation to repentance.

Whenever you forgive your brothers and sisters, do not content yourselves with casting the veil of forgetfulness over their wrongs; that veil is frequently very transparent to your eyes. Bring them love at the same time as forgiveness; do for them what you would ask your heavenly Father to do for you. Replace the anger that defiles with the love that purifies. Preach by example the active, inexhaustible charity that Jesus has taught you; preach charity just as he himself did while he lived upon the earth in full view of corporeal  eyes, and just as he has continued to do, even though he is no longer visible except to the eyes of the spirit. Follow his divine model; walk in his footsteps: they will lead you to the place of refuge where you will find repose after struggle. Like him, bear all your crosses and thoughtfully but courageously mount your Calvary: on its top is glorification.

Jean, Bishop of Bordeaux (1862)