Forgiveness (Part 1)

Forgiveness is not an easy topic. It’s intimately connected to our hurts and areas that need healing. But forgiveness is also misunderstood. Building off the previous series on right judgment, mercy and healing, Jake and Dr. Bob begin a two-part series on forgiveness, diving into the etymology of the word, addressing our misinterpretations, and challenging us to look at how Jesus models forgiveness. They look at how forgiveness is the perfect marriage between right judgment and mercy, and go deep into the Catechism to unpack the spiritual and human reality of this virtue. Be prepared to pause, rewind and listen to this episode again and again. 

Key Quote:

It is there, in fact, "in the depths of the heart," that everything is bound and loosed. It is not in our power not to feel or to forget an offense; but the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit turns injury into compassion and purifies the memory in transforming the hurt into intercession. - CCC 2843

Key Points:

• How right judgment and mercy combined equal true forgiveness
• Why dividing right judgment and mercy creates an awful reality 
• The etymology of the word ‘forgive’
• Why we hold on to unforgiveness 
• Misinterpretations of what forgiveness is
• Reconciliation and restitution
• The pain and shame on both sides of hurt that can become identity lies 
• Two powerful paragraphs from Catechism of the Catholic Church on forgiveness
• Forgiveness will not always be followed by restoration of the relationship
• The places we’re not willing to forgive may be places where we’ve created idols in our lives
• Forgiveness and the connection with trust and surrender to God
• How forgiveness didn’t diminish Jesus’s dignity
• Applying what’s been discussed to the sex abuse crisis in the Church 

Resources: 

• Catechism of the Catholic Church, para 2840
• Catechism of the Catholic Church, para 2843
• Episode 66: Right Judgment
• Episode 67: Mercy 

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Audio editing by Forte Catholic