stone

Looking for pictures on the theme of forgiveness, I came across this illustration:

A small stone really… and it launched my reflection about this demand – for it is one – of the gospel text of this Sunday (Mt.18:21-35).

To forgive: a task that feels as a big stone, at times.
In fact, sometimes it appears to be a huge rock which we are unable to move,
let alone to dislodge from inside us!
To remove this from our hearts – because it usually hides deep in there – seems absolutely impossible.

Yet, if we think about it, forgiving is beneficial to ourselves perhaps even before than to the one we give the forgiveness.
We may not see it this way at first, but it can give such a feeling of liberation.
It can provide us with a tremendous sense of being rid of a burden that was bending us under its weight.

Being hurt can be really painful, especially if the hurt is caused willingly by someone we trusted.
But wanting to hurt back, trying to ‘get even’, as people say, keeping within oneself a burning desire to take revenge –
this is hurting oneself as well!

One day, I saw a poster with the caption : ’Let go, let God!’
This may be a good attitude in this respect:
Letting go of the hurt and the pain it brought,
Letting God give us HIS forgiveness to pass on to the one who hurt us…

Note: Another reflection on a similar theme in French can be found at: https://image-i-nations.com/24e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

Source: Image: tonyagnesi.com   Fine Art America