![]() Is there someone you need to work to forgive? Is there a grudge or hurt that holds your heart bound? Perhaps along with me, you can bring that to Jesus and ask for the grace and strength to forgive. Then perhaps I can go on to forgive someone else. I will, however, work through and then let go of the pain, hurt, and anger so he doesn’t control any part of my heart. Because of his history of hurting me and likelihood of doing it again, I will never have a close, trusting relationship with him. So, this week I pledge to work harder on forgiving my brother. And, as we’re finding out, if we don’t do it every day of our lives, death may rob us of the chance. ![]() It’s tough stuff! But Jesus says not to come to the altar unless I’m doing it. Then I have to repeat the process and reaffirm the forgiveness, over and over again. Even after forgiving, something may happen that brings old hurts up again. The more grievous the hurt, the longer this process takes. I take back my power, free my heart, and allow the Spirit to flow freely through me. It releases the hold they have over my emotions, sleep, appetite, and life. I let go of the need for revenge, the need to hate, the need to “get even”, the need to see that person suffer as I suffered. What forgiveness does is free my heart from being imprisoned by someone else’s bad actions. In serious cases, it doesn’t mean I give up on pursuit of justice or due consequences for the action. Forgiveness doesn’t pretend it didn’t hurt, sometimes deeply. Forgiveness doesn’t condone the wrong or say it’s OK. I can forgive even if the other person isn’t sorry. Reconciliation isn’t always possible, especially in cases of abuse or dysfunction.įorgiveness, though, can be unilateral. Both people must want it, and the relationship must be worth it. Then both sincerely engage in the difficult process of repairing the relationship and rebuilding damaged trust. Each party admits their wrongdoing, each repents and asks forgiveness, and both forgive. Note the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. Yet it is precisely what Jesus calls us to. ![]() In a world ruled by revenge-fueled cries of eye-for-an-eye “justice”, forgiveness remains one of the thorniest aspects of discipleship. I’ve also met people who held grudges for so long they no longer remember what the grudge was about in the first place. I admit I’ve sometimes had trouble forgiving those who hurt me I am struggling with one brother right now. Ira Byock, a medical doctor and researcher of dying patients, labeled “I forgive you” as one of the four most important things people need to give and receive when they are dying. One cause of complication is the inability or, due to the suddenness of the illness, lack of opportunity to forgive. In my field, we face a tsunami of complicated grief. STUDIES IN PASSIONIST HISTORY AND SPIRITUALITYĭuring the pandemic, there were thousands of deaths from COVID alone, plus the “usual” deaths due to other causes.A Day in the Life of Senior Passionists.Journey into the Mystery of Christ Crucified.Proclaiming Our Passionist Story (POPS).Passion of the Earth, Wisdom of the Cross.
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