And Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us:

In this petition, we return to him like the prodigal son and the tax collector; we recognize that we are sinners before him. Our petitions begins with a "confession" of our wretchedness, and his mercy.This petition has two parts. According to the second phrase, our petition will not be heard unless we have first met a strict requirement.This outpouring of mercy cannot penetrate our hearts as long as we have not forgiven those who have trespassed against us. In refusing to forgive our brothers and sisters, our hearts are closed and and their hardness makes them impervious to the Father's merciful love; but in confessing our sins, our hearts are opened to his grace.It is there, in fact, "in the depths of the heart," that everything is bound and loosed. It is not easy to forget an offense; but the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit turns injury into compassion and purufies the memory in transforming the hurt into intercession. Christian prayer extends even to the forgiveness of one's neighbor. God does not accept the sacrifice of an unforgiving mam ,but  commands that  he depart from the altar so that he may first be reconciled with his brother. For God can be appeased only by prayers that make peace.