The Messenger - March 2009 - Editorial March 2009
By John Looby, S.J. - 01 March 2009
Forgive just as we Forgive : Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to say ‘I am sorry’, than it is to say ‘Please forgive me’? The former does not require a response, whereas the latter needs a response.
Forgiveness has to be given, and we fear that it might be withheld. You cannot take forgiveness for granted. Maybe that is why I remember so well a sermon on Christmas Eve, 1980. It was in Phoenix, Arizona. The Bishop was preaching. He expressed his gratitude for the many good wishes and gifts he had received, but he was moved greatly by one gift. It was the gift of forgiveness, given without his doing anything to earn it. His statement seemed to electrify the church. If I remember correctly at this late date, a large bequest had been willed to the diocese, and they were divided on whether it should be given to the poor or used to pay off debts. People felt strongly about the matter, and some people bitterly blamed the Bishop for how he used it. That Christmas one of his most vocal critics forgave him for what he did. I believe he was in tears, so much was he moved by this gift of forgiveness.
In this Lenten season we are moved to ask God’s forgiveness and are reassured that God is always ready to forgive us. I wonder if I have ever felt the joy and relief at being forgiven, the way the Bishop in Arizona did that Christmas Eve? And if I have never experienced the joy of being forgiven in that way, can I want to give it to others who have offended me in some way?
Not forgiving others is some kind of curse, and forgiving them is a blessing and a joy for them. It is uniquely Christian that we forgive just as we hope to be forgiven. I remember the funeral of a man who had deserted his wife and family, causing great pain and unhappiness. His eldest son spoke briefly when offering a prayer. He told God that the family forgave their father for his cruelty to them and asked God to do likewise. He was in tears as he asked this through Christ, Our Lord.
Forgiveness as we forgive those who trespass against us, can be consigned to the small print as it were. Often we give up something for Lent. Maybe this Lent we might try forgiving those who have trespassed against us. It might not be as easy as it sounds but it will do us a great deal of good, and be a real Easter joy for those who have to wait for forgiveness.
John Looby, S.J.
Editor