"Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice,
"Lord, do not hold this sin against them";
"Lord, do not hold this sin against them";
and when he said this, he fell asleep."
Acts 7,51-8,1a
Acts 7,51-8,1a
John Paull II was almost killed by an assassin on 13 May 1981. In December 1983, the pope offered forgivness to his assasin during an arranged meeting in prison. Is this possible? Are we able to do this? Forgive somebody who wants you dead?
Most responses would be: if this person wants me dead, I better do something so that he will end up dead, not me. Or to that effect. But to forgive somebody who wants you dead?
Stephen forgave his enemies, and those who wanted him dead before he was killed by them! John Paull II forgave his assassin. Jesus forgave all of us who brought Him to His cross!
Forgiveness is the greatest act of mercy anybody can ever do. It is not deserved. It is freely given.
It is possible to forgive. It can be done. It must be done. If we want to be called a true Christian -- Christ's true follower. And it is by the grace of God are we able to do so. Let us pray for this grace, and pray for it constantly and unceasingly.
She knelt down on the confessional box. This young woman who poured out his hatred for her father who had just abandoned them -- her mother and her siblings. I could almost feel the seething anger pouring out of her. Hatred for a father who had hurt them. And she confessed this hatred. Why would she do that?
She was crying for healing. The hatred was too much for her. It could destroy her. It was already destroying her, in fact. She went to confession and asked for God's forgiveness for this seething hatred. She said, "I am sorry God. Please forgive me." God would certainly forgive her. But would she forgive her father? She could.
Most responses would be: if this person wants me dead, I better do something so that he will end up dead, not me. Or to that effect. But to forgive somebody who wants you dead?
Stephen forgave his enemies, and those who wanted him dead before he was killed by them! John Paull II forgave his assassin. Jesus forgave all of us who brought Him to His cross!
Forgiveness is the greatest act of mercy anybody can ever do. It is not deserved. It is freely given.
It is possible to forgive. It can be done. It must be done. If we want to be called a true Christian -- Christ's true follower. And it is by the grace of God are we able to do so. Let us pray for this grace, and pray for it constantly and unceasingly.
She knelt down on the confessional box. This young woman who poured out his hatred for her father who had just abandoned them -- her mother and her siblings. I could almost feel the seething anger pouring out of her. Hatred for a father who had hurt them. And she confessed this hatred. Why would she do that?
She was crying for healing. The hatred was too much for her. It could destroy her. It was already destroying her, in fact. She went to confession and asked for God's forgiveness for this seething hatred. She said, "I am sorry God. Please forgive me." God would certainly forgive her. But would she forgive her father? She could.
