ON the other day at the writer’s class I conduct I spoke on words uttered on the cross by Jesus that has impacted my thinking and those words are that of a dying Jesus, being murdered by the soldiers and priests who cries out to a God above, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do!”
Who is it He talks about when he says they know what they do? It’s the very people who are killing him! He doesn’t cry out to God, saying, “God have revenge on these people who are wounding me, killing me!” No, he tells God not to do anything, “God,” he is actually saying, “hands off!”
In those dying words I find a profound truth, I realize the only way one can forgive somebody is by understanding why somebody has wronged us. Why has your neighbour infringed on your property, because heart of hearts he believes it is his, he doesn’t know what he is doing. Why has your woman left you for another, why? Because in her mind, that someone else would give her greater happiness than what you are giving.
Very, very few deeds or actions are done just for the sake of doing evil and once we understand the reason why people do something, once we realize that they don’t realize they are wrong it becomes easier to forgive. But to be able to do this we need to look beyond our immediate hurt and pain.
I have been spending some time lately with a doctor friend, in whose hospital a woman slipped into coma. The doctors tried their best and even managed to keep her alive and today she is off the ventilator. But from the public around he has been treated rather harshly, from the local representative to the priest to the police inspector, they have all hounded him. In my friend there is a deep anger, which I find is slowly burning him up, “its unfair!” he shouts again and again.
“Sure it’s unfair, but the people aren’t angry with you because you are a bad doctor, they are angry because a loved one lies comatose. They are angry, and the only people they can vent out their anger is on you. You would have done the same,” I tell my friend, “forgive them for what they are doing and use your energy to fight your case.”
I look at our country as unforgiveness is used as a tool, to keep fires of hate burning, thus providing a vote bank to certain political parties. Nothing good comes out of it; no better government, no better economic situation, nothing! We lose precious energy when we don’t forgive; we kill ourselves as hate burns us up day after day. Yes, those words of a dying Man on a cross can make us start living life again, as we forgive and move forward..!
