Deacon Tom Writes,
Forgiveness
There is no shortage of media reports of the civil wars and
violence that inflame our world. So many of our brothers and sisters endure
unimaginable suffering inflicted by others who share a different ideology,
suffer from a delusion that they are the only ones who “know God’s Will” while inflicting much suffering on the innocent or
who believe in their own superiority and divine mandate to dominate and
suppress others. How are people able to forgive those who have brought such
pain and suffering into their lives? How can anyone put their life back
together after such traumatic suffering without resorting to the ancient custom
of revenge and retaliation toward those who have caused their suffering?
The people of South Africa and Ireland seemed to have met
with some success in ending the violence.
In the case of South Africa ending apartheid, the legalized segregation
of the population into black and white, was crucial in stopping the brutality. In the case of Ireland, years of
economic domination gave way in the late 1980’s to a period of economic growth
and stability that has been a significant factor helping build a bridge to a
new era of peace and cooperation between former adversaries.
In these two examples where ancient rivalries have yielded
to a day of peace, there is another dynamic at work that draws its inspiration
from the Triumph of the Cross. The spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation
that emanates from Christ’s salvific action is beginning to take root. If you
look at Christ as the victim who represents all the victims who have ever
suffered throughout time, before Him and after Him, then we can see in His
death that there is no need for further victims. The message of the cross is this: NO MORE VICTIMS.
This message has been slow to
take root, but as fragile as that root may be, it is showing signs of
life. For we could not experience
the reconciliations that have happened in Ireland or in South Africa and in
other places where former adversaries now live side by side, unless we
understand that our spiritual destiny is tied up with that of our torturers, “unless each of your forgives your brother
from your heart”. We are
called to love others as God loves us.
This is the only way we will have a future. If we are not able to get beyond the violence, the violence
will consume us. For Christians,
violence stops at the cross.
This is the real Triumph of the
Cross: that we are learning how to forgive others as Jesus did. May God give us the courage, strength,
and wisdom to forgive also.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
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