Thursday after Epiphany
St. John writes, “If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar…” If these words don’t make you at least a little uncomfortable, then carefully read them again. Servant of God Dorothy Day reflected a similar sentiment when she wrote: “I really only love God as much as the person I love the least.”
At this point, if you are thinking about the people you don’t like—whether they are former friends, relatives, political leaders, or others—then we can feel pretty uncertain about the extent of our love for God. To be a follower of Jesus Christ means that we are men and women of forgiveness. Forgiveness takes time and is one of the most difficult and challenging things to do. In fact, very often, we can’t do it, which is why we need the grace of God to operate in us and lead us to forgiveness.
One of my recent favorite secular authors, Greg McKeown discusses forgiveness in the context of “holding grudges.” He explains that holding grudges makes it harder to focus on the things you truly care about. Each grudge we hold against another person is serving some purpose, some attempt at helping us cope with a situation. If there is a lack of forgiveness in our lives, we might ask: “What job have I hired this grudge to do?”
To forgive is to release the emotional burden we have been carrying. It is to proclaim with Jesus the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah to “proclaim liberty to captives…and to let the oppressed go free.” Free yourself from the oppressive weight of lack of forgiveness. Free yourself to love God and your brother or sister with an undivided heart.
Reflection Question: What is the grudge or resentment I need to release?
Reflection by Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB
Posted in Articles for Christmas, Daily Reflections