Teach us to forgive!
October 18, 2010
St. LukeDear Family of Mary! "Dear children, I am beside you because I desire to help you to overcome trials, which this time of purification puts before you. My children, one of those is not to forgive and not to ask for forgiveness. Every sin offends Love and distances you from it - and Love is my Son. Therefore, my children, if you desire to walk with me towards the peace of God's love, you must learn to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. Thank you." (September 2, 2010) When Our Lady spoke these words in early September, I had no idea what she meant. Trials and purification? I supposed that she meant this in a general way. Times are tough, and we have to let them purify us through perseverance. But, looking back now, I see things differently. She was talking about concrete trials and purifications. I have had some trials over the past six weeks!! As I experienced a particularly difficult trial recently, I found myself getting angry. I was angry at the situation that was causing me such pain. But I was even more angry at God. Somehow, I felt that the Lord could have easily changed that situation, but He didn't! I was pretty ticked at the Lord. Ticked enough to stop praying for a little while! Then I re-read this message and I realized that Our Lady was giving me the key to making it through this trial. It was my anger at the Lord that was making the difficulty worse. And the way to overcome this trail I was in was to forgive, just as she said. I needed to forgive the people involved in the situation - I needed to forgive myself for my part in the mess - and I needed to forgive the Lord for "letting" it happen. Only forgiveness would open the way for me to overcome this trail and move forward in my life with joy and hope. As I think about how I felt when I was angry I realize that the anger encased me like a wall of stone. Everything went black in that anger. It reminds me of what the miners in Chile must have experienced during the first 17 days in the mine. No light, no communication with the outside, little hope of rescue, and a lot of heat and fear. This blackness is a figure of what the saints refer to as the dark night of the soul. Darkness, isolation, anger, distance from God --- It is very like hell. I wonder if the miners felt angry at God. I wonder if they blamed God for their situation. They surely blamed the mine owners who were negligent of their safety. They may have blamed the engineers who failed them. But maybe they were angry at God too. I suspect that it wasn't until they knew that God was their only hope, that they really started calling out to Him. They may have realized that blaming God was useless and ridiculous. I know that at some point, I realized that it was only the Lord who could help me in my situation as well. And to talk to Him, I would first have to forgive Him. Once I came to that realization, I was able to pray again. Forgiveness is one of the greatest tools in the spiritual life! Forgiveness changes even the worst situations. Forgiveness guides the drill bits from heaven directly to the encased heart below, and makes contact possible!! Mother Mary, please help us to forgive everyone, yes, everyone in our lives. Help us to be like you, who could forgive all your Son's enemies and accept them as your children! Mother, teach us to forgive! Only then will we be able to turn our trials into blessings. Only then will we walk towards the peace of God. In Jesus and Mary!
Cathy Nolan
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