Today’s Lenten meditation makes it easy for all Christians to forgive. Will we listen?
“The three stages of forgiveness. I don’t deny what the person did, or pretend it wasn’t wrong. But …
1. Instead of identifying the person totally with whatever they did to hurt me, I begin to see them as a person like me – imperfect, but still someone God LOVES.
2. I give up my ‘right’ to get even. Vengeful thoughts don’t make the other person suffer. They hurt me. So, I just plain rinse my mind of those kinds of thoughts.
3. I stand next to the LORD and together WITH HIM, look at the other person. For sure, Jesus wants good things to happen to them. So, with the Lord’s help (and some struggle), I begin to look at the other person the way the Lord does.
Take 10 seconds to think of someone you find hard to forgive.”
I love Step 3. It can be applied to many of life’s events. Standing next to Jesus, asking what He would do, and following.
On Ash Wednesday, my Parish held a 24 hours Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. I had signed up for 2 hours on Tuesday, from Wednesday midnight to Thursday 2am. As this was the first time I was participating in this, I searched the Internet and found much useful resources. In a standard one hour, it was suggested that 15 mins be allocated to Adoration/Praise, Self-Examination, Intentions & Supplication. In addition, just being with Jesus and stilling oneself to listen.
This experience enriched me tremendously. And as I left, a lady was praying with her baby in the cradle. One can only be humbled, witnessing such faith. And hopefully, be motivated.
I reached home and went to bed. And I had a fitful sleep. Not because of dreams per se, but I woke up shivering in between the sleep periods. Could it because of the slight snow falls overnight even though the thermostat remained at the same settings for months? Could it be that I had noticed two cars parked in the spots where the Parish had reserved for the homeless (they were using the Parish parking lots overnight for safe parking). Should I attribute the shivering to the cold, the subconscious or to God ‘speaking’ to me?
It’s good that I love mystery novels, growing up on Agatha Christie’s. There’s much listening and discernment ahead.
Journey Within 