Beyond forgiveness-- Love is greater

Years ago, I was called into the boss’s office to sit with him and another coworker (who we will call Miguel) who had accused me of making racist remarks towards him.  When the accusation was made directly to me, I’ll admit I was quite angry, as I would never think of speaking against someone else’s ethnicity or culture or race—that’s not how I was brought up.  It turned out Miguel “heard” other coworkers alleging my behavior without asking me about it.  When the two of us confronted the others who made the allegations, they apologized to both of us, calling their remarks ‘misunderstood’.  After the issue was cleared up, Miguel apologized to me for jumping to conclusions, adding that he really couldn’t understand why I would make the alleged remarks, because it was out of character for me.  I told him to forget about it.  As far as I was concerned, the allegations were untrue, and he had nothing to apologize for.  As it happens, from that meeting forward we became more than colleagues; we became great friends.

Forgiveness of another is essential.  It can never be withheld.  But forgiveness is actually not even enough. The ultimate goal must be reconciliation, which goes much further.  Jesus exhorts us to “settle” with our opponents, therein implying reconciliation (Matthew 5:26).  One version of the Bible says it this way, “Make friends quickly with your accuser…”  Working to foster a “friendship” with one who has accused you, especially if it’s a false accusation, goes far beyond simply forgiving them.

To reconcile with another and to reestablish a true friendship means that you not only forgive but also do all you can to ensure that you reestablish a relationship of love with that person.  It means that you both put your grievance behind you and start anew.  Of course, that takes both people to cooperate in love; but, for your part, it means that you work hard to establish this reconciliation.

Jesus concludes this exhortation with strong words.  Essentially, if you fail to do all you can to reconcile and reestablish your relationship, you will be held accountable for it.  Though this may seem unfair at first, it is clearly not, because this is the depth of mercy that our Lord offers us every day.  We will never be adequately sorry for our sin, but God forgives and reconciles with us anyway.  What a grace!  But if we fail to offer this same mercy to others, we essentially limit God’s ability to offer this mercy to us, and we’ll be required to pay back “the last penny” of our own debt to God.

Here's the meditations for the 3^rd Joyful Mystery of the Most Holy Rosary:

The Nativity of Jesus

Brief Meditation

All love tends to become like that which it loves.  God loved man; therefore, He became man.  Thanks to His human nature, He could take on our woes and our sorrows, and feel the effects of sin as if they were His very own.

But all this was conditioned upon Mary’s giving Him a human nature.  Without her He would never have had eyes to see the multitude hungry in the desert, or ears to hear the pleading of the lame man of Jericho, or hands to caress children, or feet to seek the lost sheep.

For nine months, her own body was the natural Eucharist, in which God shared communion with human life, thus preparing for that greater Eucharist, when human life would commune with the Divine.

Mary’s joy was to form Christ in her own body; her joy now is to form Christ in our souls.  In this Mystery, we pray to become pregnant with the Christ spirit, giving Him new lips with which He may speak of His Father, new hands with which He may feed the poor, and a new heart with which He may love everyone, even enemies.

Scriptural Meditation

1.  It came to pass while they were in Bethlehem, that the days for her to be delivered were fulfilled. (Luke 2:6)-Hail Mary…

2.  And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes. (Luke 2:7)-Hail Mary…

3.  And she laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7)-Hail Mary…

4.  And there were shepherds in the same district.  And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them. (Luke 2:8-9)-Hail Mary…

5.  "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be to all the people." (Luke 2:10)-Hail Mary…

6.  "For today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ, the Lord." (Luke 2:11)-Hail Mary…

7.  "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace to men of good will." (Luke 2:14)-Hail Mary…

8.  And behold, Magi came from the East, and entering they found the child with Mary His mother.  (Matthew 2:11)-Hail Mary…

9.  And falling down they worshipped Him, and they offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)-Hail Mary…

10.  And Mary kept in mind all these things, pondering them in her heart.  (Luke 2:19)-Hail Mary…