What is forgiveness?

[arunangelo]

Forgiveness is the key to peace

To forgive is not only to give up claim or resentment we have against our offenders but also to bring them healing. Jesus tells us to love our enemy, help those who hurt us and pray for our persecutors (Luke 6: 27-36). We should forgive without limit. If we do not forgive each of our offenders from our heart (Matt. 18, 35) we do not have His Spirit in our heart. Furthermore, in order to accept God’s mercy (which brings us Heaven) we have to believe in it by showing the same mercy to others (Matt. 6: 14-15).

Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth (Isaiah 53: 5 &7). Furthermore, during his suffering and death he forgave his persecutors (Luke 23:34); and was concerned about the suffering they would bring upon themselves by their sins rather than his own suffering (Luke 23:28).

 

[Convert1]

For there are three ways of performing an act of mercy: the merciful word, by forgiving and by comforting; secondly, if you can offer no word, then pray - that too is mercy; and thirdly, deeds of mercy. And when the Last Day comes, we shall be judged from this, and on this basis we shall receive the eternal verdict.
–Saint Faustina Kowalska

 

[verily88]

Forgiveness is the key to peace

To forgive is not only to give up claim or resentment we have against our offenders but also to bring them healing. Jesus tells us to love our enemy, help those who hurt us and pray for our persecutors (Luke 6: 27-36). We should forgive without limit. If we do not forgive each of our offenders from our heart (Matt. 18, 35) we do not have His Spirit in our heart. Furthermore, in order to accept God’s mercy (which brings us Heaven) we have to believe in it by showing the same mercy to others (Matt. 6: 14-15).

There’s nothing like experiencing hurt for learning about forgiveness. I was hurt deeply by someone close to me during 2015, and although I knew I had to forgive that person, and I wanted to do the right thing, it was difficult and confusing!
It has actually been a ‘process’ in my experience. Some days I felt like I had forgiven him, and other days I was back in the dark feelings of disgust for him/what he had done (hard to differentiate). Perhaps that shows that I hadn’t actually forgiven; I don’t know.
I do know that part of the struggle was the niggling feeling that to forgive would be Foolish of me, or that it would belittle the issues. Maybe I was confusing self-respect with keeping myself stuck in the negativity of it all.
I recently heard a priest speak about mercy and about the need to forgive others if they have sinned against us. He said to list those sins and, in the presence of the Lord, say about each thing “I release you of your debt”. That was a turning point for me.