Forgiveness

I am posting an excerpt of a book entitled," Enjoy Your Precious Life" by Fr. John T.Catoir, JCD published by Alba House. For ordering information please go to their website at www.albahouse.org. This could be a life changing book if you allow it to be. Here goes, portions from pages 133-134 and page 135.

HOW DO I FORGIVE WHEN I AM STILL ANGRY?

In order to forgive someone from the heart, you do not need to have good feelings toward that person. Forgiveness is not a feeling. If you are angry, and the other person doesn't give you the satisfaction of asking for forgiveness, it may seem impossible to forgive. Don't believe your feelings. With God all things are possible.

You don't wait until you feel like forgiving. You may never feel like it. That doesn't matter, God asks for forgiveness anyway. Do it for Him, and for yourself. The Lord asks you to forgive for good reason. He wants you to be healed, He wants you to have the fullness of Joy. How can you not forgive?

To forgive you just will it!

True forgiveness is in the will. Do not wait for warm cozy feelings to begin the process. Your feelings will catch up in time. Do it now. Be patient about the results. You give "forgiveness" before you feel like it. You "fore-give" the gift of forgiveness, before you feel good about it. Do it anyway.

In this way you show the Lord that you will not cling to your resentment like a dog with a bone. You drop it and walk away. When bad feelings come back toward that person, say a short prayer for him or her. "My Jesus mercy. Have mercy on him and mercy on me." You need help and God will give it. Repeat your prayer over and over until the feelings subside, and they will.

In time you will actually forget why you were so angry in the first place. Forgiveness heals the soul. Let go, and let God.

ONE MORE QUOTE FROM PAGE 135

Once you admit that you are too enraged to love, much less forgive, then you are making progress. Turn immediately to the Lord for help.
He knows that your anger is justified. He doesn't ask you to deny your feelings. When He asks you to forgive, He is not saying, "what happened doesn't matter.".........
Why does Jesus want us to forgive? Because hate disqualifies a person from entering heaven, and He wants us with Him for all eternity.

Fr. Catoir quotes (Matthew 11:29, 19:26) Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart,....with man it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible


I cannot say it any better than this book.