There are many things people do that hurt us, and things we do that wound others. Some are perhaps more obvious than others, and some are clearly worse. There are two things that I think it is important to remember:
1. There are no good sins.
2. Whatever wrong we do, even if it hurts no one else, even if it doesn’t seem to hurt us, we always hurt God. And, if we have been hurt, so has God.
Signs of Forgiveness
But, we also have to remember that sin, hate, and hurt do not have the last word. There is a bigger word that comes from love: forgiveness.
Forgiveness can take a long time, but the first step is a choice. It is a choice to forgive. That doesn’t mean it will automatically happen; it can take a long time, and we may think we have forgiven someone or something, only to discover another layer of hurt, more consequences, and the only way to keep going is to keep forgiving.
Forgiveness enables us to move on. It makes us free. Firstly, because it frees us from our own anger and hate. It gets us past hurt and self-pity. And secondly, because in freely choosing to forgive, we make good use of our freedom. In this way, we exercise our freedom, and just like anything else, the more we practice, the better we get. We become freer.
Finally, if (and when) we find it hard to forgive it is important to remember that God constantly forgives us and chooses to do so even though he knows that he will have to keep doing it over and over again. This is especially important when we are struggling to forgive ourselves.
A beautiful personal testimony on forgiveness from Margaret Mizen, whose 16-year-old son was murdered in 2008, will perhaps convince you more of the truth of this than anything I can say:
Questions For Discussion On Forgiveness
– If I wait until someone apologizes before I forgive them, what will this mean for me? For them? For my relationships with others?
– Jesus told us to forgive not just seven times but seventy times seven (Mt 18:21-22): are you keeping count?
– Is it harder to forgive ourselves or other people?
– Does forgiving just mean forgetting?
God’s Eternal Love Wins Always | Pope Francis Quote
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly This post is not an article, but a part of our gallery of images. You can share this image in your social media or you can click the “Download” button and send it to your friends. We only ask you to share it in its original version, without editing […]
Be Ashamed When You Sin, Not When You Repent | St. John Chrysostom
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Be ashamed when you sin, not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter!Our weekly email newsletter includes links to our seasonal content so you can stay connected to the Church’s liturgical seasons and find simple ways to celebrate them and grow in holiness. SUBSCRIBE! […]
Is It A Mortal Sin To Leave The Catholic Church?
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly You may have heard that the largest religious group in America is the “nones,” those without a religious affiliation. In January of 2024, Pew Research stated that 28% of US adults are religiously unaffiliated. Of those, many are commonly called “fallen away” Catholics. In fact, in 2008, Pew estimated […]
The Best New Year’s Resolution
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly The Best New Year’s Resolution More Catholic Resources For The New Year Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter!Our weekly email newsletter includes links to our seasonal content so you can stay connected to the Church’s liturgical seasons and find simple ways to celebrate them and grow in holiness. SUBSCRIBE! Thank […]
Practice Three Trivial Mortifications Every Day
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly “Because our needs are limited, but our wants are unlimited, a virtue is necessary to restrain our inordinate appetites and desires—and that virtue is called temperance. It has for its objective the regulation of the sensible appetites by reason. If we want to save our soul for eternity, we […]
Mortal And Venial Sin: Defining The Difference.
The terms “venial” and “mortal” sin are frequently used but not always completely understood. What exactly is sin, and what are the varying degrees of it? While sin is often said to be ‘separation’ from God, Scripture tells us we can never be separated f
6 Ways To Gain A Plenary Indulgence In The Year Of St. Joseph
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly 6 Ways To Gain A Plenary Indulgence In The Year Of St. Joseph Decree on Year of St. Joseph Indulgences The gift of special indulgences is granted on the occasion of the Year of Saint Joseph, summoned by Pope Francis to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the proclamation […]
What Weeds Are You Going To Pull Up This Lent?
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly What Weeds Are You Going To Pull Up This Lent? More Lent Resources Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter!Our weekly email newsletter includes links to our seasonal content so you can stay connected to the Church’s liturgical seasons and find simple ways to celebrate them and grow in holiness. SUBSCRIBE! […]
7 Deadly Sins: The One Prayer Everyone Struggling With Pride Needs To Say Daily
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels”. — St. Augustine My first memories of mature confessions, not centered around fights with my sisters and forgetting my bedtime prayers, are not very interesting. I was a well-behaved teenager with good grades, […]
God Made Us Gardener’s | St. Catherine of Siena Quote
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly God Made Us Gardener’s | St. Catherine of Siena Quote God has made us gardeners, St. Catherine of Siena More Resources On St. Catherine of Siena Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter!Our weekly email newsletter includes links to our seasonal content so you can stay connected to the Church’s liturgical […]
