"Open our hearts to forgiveness, make us instruments of reconciliation."Learning to forgive; teaching forgivenessAna and Gerardo went through a difficult infidelity ordeal. They had taken the issue to the divorce. On the day the final signature was due, she did it, but he stopped. Something deep inside told him that it would not solve anything. He thought of his children, renounced his criteria and in the name of God decided not to sign: "I don't want to get divorced," he told the lawyer. He got up and walked out of there determined to fight for the unity of his family.
Ana was inwardly happy about that act. She realized that she did not want to put an end to his marriageHe just wanted to put an end to their problems. Since then, both have restarted their relationship. They forgave each other, renewed their home with the understanding that only God gives us the capacity to truly love, to forgive what seems unforgivable, to die to ourselves for the greater good.
Today the family of Gerardo and Ana serve the Lord, they are witnesses of the fruits of forgiveness and announce it with enthusiasm.
The teaching of Christ
To forgive is not human but divine. It is not possible for us to forgive what we consider unforgivable. It arises in the bowels of the heart that "I don't want to, it's not fair, I don't deserve it, why me?
Only Jesus Christ speaks of a forgiveness necessary for life. No one else, no other way of thinking approaches forgiveness as He does. Our genuine search for justice affirms: "he who does it pays it".
But God arrives on earth and his words disconcert us:
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, and forgive one another, just as God forgave you in Christ" (Eph 4:32).
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you" (Mt 6:14).
"So you must tolerate one another and forgive one another if anyone has a complaint against another. As the Lord forgave you, so you also must forgive" (Col 3:13).
"Judge not, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven" (Lk. 6:37).
Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me, up to seven times? -Jesus answered him, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Mt 18:21-22).
We do not want to forgive but we realize that it is necessary. You think of your children whom you love and do not want them to suffer. Suddenly you know that it is by giving up yourself that you can save them. Perhaps you begin to understand that God did the same for you. "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit" (Jn 12:24).
Nowadays, homes and hearts are broken as a consequence of infidelity. While it is necessary to put an end to this scourge and to live faithful love, it is also fundamental to strengthen love in the family through Christian forgiveness, the true forgiveness, the one that edifies, the one that rebuilds from faith and puts an end to evil in the only possible way: in abundance of good!
