Category Archives: Forgiveness

Learn to forgive

Do you know anyone in your life who hasn’t been hurt by someone else? Look into your own life and think about the number of times you were hurt by someone by a uncaring word, thoughtless verbal attacks, careless conversation and the list can go on and on. Imagine the number of times you must have done the same without actually meaning to hurt someone. If you find yourself simply not capable of doing it, think again. Our memory cheats us many times. We have done it over and over, truly without any malice. People are hurt because we were uncaring and thoughtless in the past.

Now letting the hurts go might give us an insight into what others must have been feeling. Let go of what does not belong to you. For it was the uncaring words of someone else and a thoughtless actions of somebody else. Not yours. So, give it up. Don’t hold on to what is not yours and life will be easier.

Act up on it: Take a few minute of this morning, nothing more than three minutes of course. Find from the lockers of your mind three names you find hard to believe that they hurt you. Think about three people you must have done the same to. Learn to forgive because in forgiveness, we shall be forgiven without our asking for it.

Fr. Jos+
© Fr. Jos Tharakan

Pray For

Jesus continued to pray for people even beyond the horizons he was familiar with or used to, or for that matter comfortable with. In that bunch were people who were thinking of killing him, conniving against him and obstructing the justice of God. Jesus prayed for those who will understand him and follow him as well. But more, he prayed for those that were not in the bunch.

Praying for people beyond our imagination is not an easy thing to do. For example those who think of harming you, your family, and your country. Pray for those that are not in your bunch today and pray for those that are away for whatever be the reason. People are away not in body many times. They are away for reasons only known to us and not to them. It can be a misunderstanding, fear, anger, disappointment caused or whatever. If you can go into the innermost hidden corners of your heart, you will find a way to see who needs your prayers today.

Action Plan: Take a three minutes break. Close your eyes, and think about those whom you have shut down for reasons that you don’t wish to talk about to a confessor, priest, preacher, friend or even your spouse. Pray for that person you would like to talk about least even to the one who is most dear to you. Pray for those that are not in your bunch in the minutes of silence and then Lent will be on.