We continue a brief walk with some material on reconciliation by Walter Wink.
Wink quotes Sheila Cassady on forgiveness.
I know what it is like to be powerless to forgive. That is why I would never say to someone, “You must forgive.” I would not dare. Who am I to tell a woman whose father abused her or mother whose daughter has been raped that she must forgive? I can only say: however much we have been wronged, however justified our hatred, if we cherish it, it will poison us. Hatred is a devil to be cast out, and we must pray for the power to forgive, for it is in forgiving our enemies that we are healed.
The notion of cherishing hatred startled me. I suppose that is because I know I do that…but to have it actually written and said was shocking. This is another one of those hard sayings that lays out a pathway to new life but it is not always easy to walk along such a path. Cassady does us a favor in making her words and images so shocking. They cause me to reevaluate my motives to see why it is I am doing what I am doing. They remind me that I am called to live within the domain of God’s grace and that it is easy to jump into another arena where there will be little that is similar to the love, peace, justice and mercy promised within God’s Reign.
Connection: Hatred is a devil to be cast out. Now that is an interesting project within the regular events of this day.
Gracious God, by the power of the Holy Spirit you pull us into the realm of your forgiveness and invite us to make it our home. Teach us to forgive so that we may be an active part of the healing of our world and our own hearts. Amen.
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