How could St. Stephen the first deacon forgive the people who were stoning him to death ? Can you imagine the reaction of those stoning him when they heard these words ? Instead of cursing them and calling down God’s wrath on them, Stephen was asking God to forgive them.
Forgiveness is the hallmark of Christianity. It is the heart and soul of the gospel message. Yet if we are hurt deeply, forgiveness is very difficult to achieve. For believers or travelers, forgiveness is NOT optional. God actually commands us to forgive those who have sinned against us. That includes family members who have hurt us, betrayed us, or just failed to be there when we needed them most.
If you are struggling to forgive someone, know that the grace of Jesus is available to help you. If the offense is so serious that you don’t see how you could possibly forgive them, take the first step and ask God to forgive them for you. Daily ask God’s help in this. I pray we all come out of this Coronavirus free of anger and fear, and as a Cursillo community, we emerge full of the joy of the risen Lord !
DeColores, Deacon Doug