Categories: HomiliesPublished On: August 12th, 2021Tags: , 291 words8.8 min read

Here are links to our readings for the day:

Forgiveness

The challenge with forgiveness is that you must humble yourself and, perhaps, die to self in the process. I have often counseled people on learning how to forgive. Hurts run deep. Words are sharp and can create division. People who were once great friends now have the barest minimum of contact with very few words used in an icy coldness. Why? What happened? If possible, a long path to forgiveness begins with just the smallest steps, a few kind words, and after a great amount of time a relationship that is a little more tolerable comes about, but nothing as it was before.

We should also be aware that there are some relationships that will never be resolved. Perhaps there was never the kind of relationship you thought you had. Maybe from your perspective but not from the other. Usually, the relationship comes to a complete stop with no explanation at all. Many marriages end this way. Whatever was between the man and wife was not of a permanent foundation. Then there are forced relationships, for example employer and employee. One may desire a relationship but the other does not. Or one may set expectations too high for the other to achieve in a reasonable fashion. Eventually one will leave.

Forgiveness does not mean that everything goes back to the way it was. It may never happen. Forgiveness means we never stop praying for the other person. Forgiveness means sometimes the best we can do is to forgive ourselves. Seventy times seven.

May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen