19 Feb 2006 - forgiveness

I was feeling quite upset with a relative of mine. His whole family is almost always late, with one reason or another. When you pick them up, they make you wait, instead of them waiting for you. They do always have reasons, but mainly, its due to the fact that they always wait until the last minute. This is what they call as being "cool" or "unfazed", relaxed. It was ok, until I realised that they don't really care about other people's situation, only their own, and I had been taken advantaged of many times without realising it. They are worried about saving money, that is ok for other people to drive them around, or using other people's car with out paying, cause they rationalised that since the other people have already paid for it, its ok. They always want to save money, but its ok to go and eat at restaurant all the time, yet don't want to pay parking. They complain about being summoned for illegal parking.

Well, I was pretty ok with them until i realised that I had been taken advantaged of, and I don't like to be cheated. So I became very biased of them in whatever they do. I was so unhappy and angry when I think about them, which is very often. I can't forgvie them or myself.

I was still complaining about them to my wife when we were walking for mass. Well, today's readings is on forgiveness! Jesus knows that we need to be healed whole, both spiritually and physically. He offers the total healing, so that we could have a relationship with God. The gospel reading is here:

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=7397470

I was so touched. Praise the Lord, for I was so bitter about the whole situation, and did not want to do anything about it. Yet, the Lord is trying to tell me that forgiveness is freedom! I felt liberated, and I tried to see the whole situation with a new light. I felt forgiven, and now I am trying my best to relook at the whole situation, and forgive others, as I am forgiven. So here I say first, Sorry !, while I try to make amends.

Its really amazing that the Lord knows us so well.