Thursday, August 17, 2006

Meditation for the Day: Forgiveness

Thursday 17th August, 2006Ezekiel 12:1-12. R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!—Ps 77(78):56-59, 61-62. Matthew 18:21 – 19:1.‘Forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’
An inability to forgive is destructive, not only of the person who has done wrong but of the person who has been wronged. Even if we do not actively (or passively) seek revenge against the wrongdoer, we cling to our hurts, unable to let go them because they form part of our identity.Letting go would lead to loss of self. But holding onto hurts is like clinging onto a rosebush—the thorns dig deeper into our flesh, only making the pain and the wounds worse. As Jesus observes, forgiveness, the decision not to allow a past suffering to control our present and our future, comes from the heart.God’s grace touches the core of our being, and we give ourselves permission to ‘let go’—it is God’s work and ours.

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