Forgiveness

Lately, I’m in a habit of listening to AM radio before going to bed to buzz off the unnecessary (a.k.a. scary) night sounds. :) Last night, as the program host bade his final adieu, he read the gospel for the next day (which is today) as his parting words to the listeners.

The gospel talks about forgiveness - timely, first, because it is Lent and second, there are at least three people whom I cannot bring myself to forgive.

Matthew 18: 21 - 35
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

According to the host, forgiveness is a very hard thing to do. This is because it entails loving the person who has caused you so much pain and suffering, may it be physically or worse emotionally. It also necessitates forgetting the offense made.

Probably, that is why it is so hard to forgive noh? Kasi, when someone hurts me really bad, I tend to hold on to that hurt or else I’ll fall apart and be vulnerable again. But then again, we were promised that He would catch us each time we fall – no matter how many times and no matter how deep. And putting that in mind makes me feel very secure and light.

I don’t know when I will be able to say: “I’ve already forgiven you” – completely but I know that in God's time, I’ll be able to do just that. :)