Forgiveness.- Restores and Saves.

When one has been done a major injury, we will and do feel a lot of pain whether the injury is of the physical or Feelings type. That Pain is very real and can be of both at the same time. With the injury does come a whole range of emotions and retaliation in kind is much easier than to look the person in the eye and say these Magic Words "I Forgive You". Depending on the severity of the injury and our perception of the hurt. We may need a time out in order that we may come to terms with what has been done to us and our decision to handle the injury with the grace that keeps us whole. The grace of reaching out the hand of forgiveness and the offer a reconciliation that comes from the spirit, and our inner strength, from our openness to what God has asked us to do. And what all Christians pray for when in the Lord's Prayer we say (forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us). We are called to forgive and to examine our own conscience before we do place condemnation on others. Jesus did say in one incident "Let he who is without Sin Cast the first stone". He then bent down and wrote on the ground. I tend to believe, though it does not say so, that he Listed the "sins" of the Accusers and would be executioners. Forgiveness is a Great, all round, Liberator.

Let us now examine the act of Forgiving and the many facets and traits that forgiveness entails when one actually finds (the Courage) to exercise this grace. Yes, it does take courage and a lot of "Fortitude" to forgive. It is easier, though disruptive, to "Condemn", to hold a grudge.

Forgiveness can best be shown by using a point form showing benefits and graces that we gain, have conferred on us, or by us, with our Forgiving. When we reach out with forgiveness, we receive back in spades more than we offer. Hurts will ease with time, but the loss of ourselves, in our refusal to forgive can bring greater pain as we are consumed by our dislike and spend time dwelling on the hurt thus magnifying it many times. This is what the people who say they'll never FORGIVE do to themselves. Not only do they disrupt their own sanity but also will lose friendships that are treasured and necessary for their proper functioning. This malady has killed otherwise good Marriages and destroyed great families. In the Christian Community, we are called to Give an absolution. Forgive 70 times 7, Jesus told his followers. We begin by first Forgiving ourselves. For a better understanding, I will go to point Form using the letters that spell out the word forgiveness......

F:----------Forbearance.- means patience and control, (this gives us the ability or talent to think twice and carefully before we react and a good reason to be proactive .instead of reactive.

O.----------Overlook. we overlook the faults that are inherent in Humanity, When we are willing to forgive we learn that all of us have faults and imperfections, in fact, we are all, all of us without exception very far from being perfect. A lesson we all need to learn. A hard one we are taught in our forgiveness of ourselves. When we are forgiven, when we give our forgiveness in a free and willing way. We overlook the sins, the faults, the hurts and injuries done to us, done intentionally and unintentionally. Most hurts are given us unintentionally. Give, what we are called to do, give your Forgiveness.

R.----------Release. When we give our forgiveness we give release to the person to whom we are extending our hand of forgiveness and hope to. But more important we give a gift to our selves of freedom, from the abscess of festering dislike and of vengeful hate. we remain a whole and if not holy at least we maintain our measure of health and sanity. Our hope of a good Life.

G.----------The G in forgiveness stands for "GRACE". The Grace that we give in our generous gift of forgiveness and the tenfold amount of Grace that we are given in return, The Grace in Forgiveness runs both ways but also has a mushroom effect as when we forgive one person that simple but usually difficult act has the propensity to mushroom out to others in our circle and beyond. The opposite is that we Harbor a grudge and thus bring our world shrinking back heavily onto ourselves spreading a disaffection that disunites us and collapses in a major and destructive cycle back onto ourselves. Forgive, Never Harbor the thoughts of vengeance. Use your thoughts for good, not for evil.

I,----------This letter stands for Indemnity. One dictionary meaning of the word indemnity is (An exemption from penalties or liabilities). When we reach out with forgiveness we wipe out the penalties or any liability for the actions they may or may not have taken intentionally. We are Human and because of that, we are prone to make mistakes and to do things in a thoughtless manner. We are not always careful beings and tongue slips are a common factor to us all. We have two ears and one tongue so we should listen twice as long as we speak if not more. We all without exception do and will make mistakes.

V.----------V is to show the words Verily and Verify. (meaning Truthful). We must always keep ourselves mindful of the very Human trait of imperfection, We are, Not one of us, as members of the human Race perfect by any means. Not even close. Therefore we should always look at that fact before we show our condemnation of others whom we mistakenly decide are less perfect than us. The Lord that I follow tells us to reach out always with love to all of our fellow Human brothers and sister and indeed to all of Nature. Give decisive love and forgive, difficult though it is, Freely in God, and with our Lord. Remember always our own imperfections and our own vulnerability. The truth is, that we too need forgiveness, and in order to expect that absolution, so we must be prepared to extend the hand of Forgiveness to those who injure us.

E.----------Exoneration is what this letter e in the spelling of Forgiveness stands for. The word "Exonerate" means to free someone from the responsibility of what they have done. When we give forgiveness we free not only the person forgiven, but also ourselves as the person who forgives. We can say, Forgiveness extended and accepted is a two-way freeing action and in that freedom gives an abundant amount for building and growing relationships and strength in all our "Friendships". So though the action is hard it is one with many benefits. Forgiveness is never easy until and only until we make a concerted effort to reach out with our forgiveness.

N.----------At this point I will give the word "Nullify" to show off the N in forgiveness, Nullify means to make useless or ineffective. When we forgive we begin the process of nullity on the sin against us. We begin to make the injury ineffective in its ability to rob us of our good judgement and sanity. We nullify the effect on us and we nullify the power we otherwise give to the person or persons who have injured us.

E.----------Here we reach another E and to that one, we attribute "Exculpation". We free from blame the person who has injured us by word or deed. In doing so we free ourselves from the need to extract any measure of "Revenge". If our forgiveness is genuine we are free from all thoughts that are vengeful and or vindictive. We take back power over our own thoughts and of our own actions. When we "Forgive" the power of control of our spirit is returned to us. it is taken back from those that hurt or have injured us. We hope and pray for the same grace from our God and we DO receive it in abundance. We hope and can expect the same love and grace given to us.

S.----------Last letter but one. S stands for "Shaking Hands", for Salvation. When we find it in ourselves to extend the "Compassion" of "Forgiveness" of "reconciliation" we will find that we have given ourselves the gift of "Salvation". This is a "Salvation" from the terminal Sickness of Hate. A long and degenerative fall into the Morass of Self-pity and Self Hate. In this state, we could and sometimes do dwell so much on the real or imagined hurt someone has done to us and can become suicidal. (An Extreme Case). S also stands for Savior and for Saving Grace. All of us as Members of the Human Race want to be touched by both a "Savior" and to be implanted with the gold of "Saving Grace". When we Forgive we "Grant" to ourselves the "Partaking" of these "Treasures". We gain closure that imparts "peace" of mind. If not in the immediate, will manifest in the near future.

S.----------The last letter of "Forgiveness" is also an S and we can use this one to describe a benefit or benefits we will obtain by this act of compassion and Love. One benefit we do obtain is one of "Sagacity" (that is WISDOM). We feel Good and the very real feeling of Goodwill well up within us and spill over into our other interactions with our Brothers and Sisters in and of Humanity. This S stands for Style and so when we give our Forgiveness we show Style. Style is not the flash of fancy clothing but the greatness of Character. We grow Style as we gain wisdom we cannot buy Style. Our learning process and ability grow and our "Sagacity" is expanded.

As you can determine there are many benefits and rewards for us and to the Human Race as we endeavour to practice the compassion of Forgiveness. When we reach out with Love and in compassion and care, extending our Forgiveness we begin to develop our good traits and we move towards holiness and into a quiet centre of Peace that builds Wisdom.

Make the effort to Forgive. It is good for the Soul. It is Beneficial for the health of the body. Be Forgiving. Be Holy. Show Love. Build the Kingdom. Forgiveness is a big "WORD" and an even "Bigger Action" and so we have to grow our "Hearts" to the size that is "Needed". We build our "Hearts" and our "Character" by exercising those attributes. There is "Effort" but the "Effort" is worth it for the "Gains". We build the "Kingdom of Peace" of co-operation beginning with "me" with ourselves alone. Build A Better World. A world in which God has priority.

Pope (John Paul 11) wrote a nice little and informative "Booklet" in 1999 that is more than worth reading by ordinary Folk. The Book's Title was simply.-- "Forgiveness.- Thoughts for the new Millennium... Simple and easy to digest. In this Booklet, John Paul demonstrated a strong and simple "Wisdom". Learn from it and from forgiving.

When we forgive we improve relationships and build hope. Hope for an earthly but joyful kingdom. We bring closer to us and others the Kingdom of heaven. of Love.