Monday, October 8, 2012

Really, Really, REALLY Forgiving

Mena feels guilty because she used to scold Kostas so much when he was alive.

I said he understood she was under a lot of pressure all the time and furthermore he knew, we all knew, she loved him dearly.

Demetrios said it’s not too late to ask his forgiveness. He said as we all, either side of the grave, are dwelling-places of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit would make Kostas aware that Mena was asking forgiveness, and obviously Kostas would forgive.

All in a split second, I thought (well, “thought” is not the word, but I don’t know what is):

I’m so glad I was on good terms with everyone I know who has died! Oops, not true, come to think of it. But give me a break! It’s hard enough to forgive people who tormented you without having to ask them to forgive you! That’s just too, too much! NO WAY!

And yet, it isn’t the case, is it, that during their attempts to make you miserable you always responded the way Christ would have, had it been He, living through you? So yes, you need not only to forgive them but also to ask them to forgive you. Yes, you do need to. No way around it.

Worse still, now that the person has departed this life and can no longer harm you, what is it holding you back? What else but that your own so-called forgiveness of the other must not be quite as thoroughgoing as you flattered yourself it was?

OUCH!

Behold the Love extended to you: uncompromising, unconditional, boundless, all-encompassing, undiluted, total, all-forgiving, death-defying, never failing, perfect! And this Love is your very life, is the meaning and essence of everyone's life. You must share this miraculous treasure with all people and all things – or else you have not laid hold of it even for yourself, because that’s what it is; to be shared with all is its very nature. What’s the problem, then? If it can be shared with YOU, why not with others not so very different from you after all?

The problem is delusory. There’s no problem; there’s only Joy. You just have to throw away your trash – trash! – to enter into It.

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