FORGIVE, AND YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN!

Lent is all about new beginnings; leaving the past behind us. I write about it today because in Ireland, especially, we have a wonderful way of double thinking. We will go to Mass and receive the Eucharist and in every other way be model citizens, but we can cherish and carefully guard old sores - sometimes for years. If these sores involve family members, so much the better. We can, of course, justify all this double-think by making an exception, "they have been so bad, they can never be forgiven for the wrong they did me."

All material things we must surely leave behind when "the call" comes; and then we face the task of justifying before God why we valued material things before people. We may have differed about a will, a house or farm, over money; the wrong may be real or imaginary, and lost many a night's sleep over it. We may have bad-mouthed people over it and saw nothing wrong with what we said. Why? because they are really bad people and we cannot find words bad enough to describe the wrong they have done. Obviously, "they" saw things differently and perhaps the real truth lies somewhere in between.
Did I hear Christ say: 'Judge not, and you shall not be judged!' Only He knows the full facts and we leave judgement to Him. From the Cross did I hear Him say of those who had crucified Him, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" Every time we pray the Our Father we ask God not to forgive us because we are unwilling to forgive others.

St. Paul was wise when he advised us never to let the sun go down on our anger. Christ even told us that as we come to the altar, if we are not at peace with our brother or sister that we should turn round and first be reconciled. All the Gospel evidence points in that direction. To-night why not go to bed with a justifiably easy conscience - and sleep soundly! He or she may not accept, but at least you will have done your part.