Forgiveness

 

“O Lord. I want to be completely transformed into Your mercy and to be Your living reflection. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of Your unfathomable mercy, pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor.” (Diary 163)

 

Be Merciful Just as Your Father is Merciful

It can be so hard to forgive and show mercy if we have been coerced into abortion or if those around us did not support us.  Just as we often feel we can never be forgiven, we also often times feel like we cannot forgive people who may have abandoned us or forced us to abort our unborn children. We think, how can anyone expect you to do that?

Yet, that is exactly what God asks us to do. Forgive those who “trespass against us”.

I remember how hard it was for me to forgive my dad who pressured me into abortion as a teen. I had to make up mind that I was going to do it, and not once, but over and over and over again. I had to show him the mercy that God had shown me.   Chances are, my unforgiveness never really affected my dad, but it tormented me because it separated me from  God’s peace.

Not easy I admit, and without constant prayer and the grace of God, impossible. But with His help, in time, I was able to forgive, and that forgiveness gave me peace because I was doing Gods will.

In time, as my relationship with God grew, I learned to feel sorrow for my dad instead of anger. I learned to show him the mercy God had shown me, instead of judging him. It took years, but it happened, and in the end God allowed me to be an instrument, through my forgiveness, not my anger, to bring my dad back to Him.

“It is not easy to love with a deep love, which lies in the authentic gift of self. This love can only be learned by penetrating the mystery of God’s love. Looking at him, being one with his fatherly heart, we are able to look with new eyes at our brothers and sisters, with an attitude of unselfishness and solidarity, of generosity and forgiveness. All this is mercy!” Pope John Paul II  (April 30, 2000, Canonization of St Faustina)

An Excerpt from “A Journey to Healing Through Divine Mercy“