Corrie ten
Boom did the unimaginable after surviving a Nazi concentration camp. In her uplifting
and powerful autobiography The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of
Corrie ten Boom, she tells of the moment years after her release when she
came face to face with the Nazi guard who had brutalized her and countless
others. She had just given a talk on the need for forgiveness -- one of many speeches
she gave across the world -- when the former guard approached her, asked if she
would forgive him, and offered her his outstretched hand. Slowly and mechanically
she lifted her hand and, as he grasped it, she felt a kind of electric current
run down her arm to their clasped hands; a freeing feeling of deep peace flowed
through her and toward this man.
Notice that
it was only after Corrie grasped his
hand did the feeling come to her.
That’s because forgiveness is an act of the will, not a feeling.
Forgiving is deciding to not hold onto the wrongdoing any longer. (Reconciliation
requires both parties; forgiveness involves only you.)
Consider:
‘The measure with which
you measure will be measured out to you.’ –Luke 6:38
and
“…Forgive us
our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us...”
--Matthew 6:12
Who do you
need to forgive? A parent? Your spouse? A teacher or friend? Yourself? We might
not feel forgiving, but we can decide
to forgive them. We might not feel anything dramatic like Corrie did; still, we
can set ourselves free from the transgression. We can let it go. We can say out
loud, “Lord, I forgive _____ for _____. “
‘Be merciful as your
Father in heaven is merciful.’ –Luke 6:36
God lives in
us; we have His power in us to forgive. And as we forgive others, so does God forgive
us. We’re freed from others’ wrongdoings, we’re freed from our own sins, and
we’re empowered to forgive others again in a loving cycle of forgiveness,
freedom, and peace.
“God’s forgiveness is a sign of His overflowing
love for each of us… it is the tenderness with which each sinner is welcomed
when he knocks at His door… His heart rejoices over every child who returns…” –
Pope Francis
God wants to
forgive you!
Today, Wednesday,
March 16, all Catholic churches in the Diocese of Cleveland will be open
for the Sacrament of Reconciliation from 5-8
p.m. Remember that Christ is there,
hidden by the priest. Whether it’s been a week or a lifetime since your last
Confession, you’re invited to ‘begin again’ at any church in the diocese. If
not today, then sometime during Lent, let Jesus pour His loving grace and mercy
upon you through this wonderful sacrament of freedom, peace, and reconciliation
with God.
“Lord, give me the
grace and courage to seek Your forgiveness and forgive others.”
Thank you for reading my reflection. Comments are
always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of
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