reconciliation

Week 4 Forgiveness and Reconciliation

God is a Trinity of Persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are united in perfect love. In other words, God is a knot of loving relationships. Because we’re made in God’s image, we can understand ourselves as made for loving relationships, too.

Because of this, it’s sad when our relationships are strained or broken, but it’s a joy when they’re healed and restored.

God himself became human in Jesus so that our broken relationship with him might be restored. God smiles when our broken relationships with others are restored, especially with those who are closest to us - spouses, children, parents, other close family and friends. We call this healing “reconciliation.”

Reconciliation requires forgiveness. Forgiveness, however, doesn’t always involve reconciliation. Whether or not we seek reconciliation depends on the nature of the relationship. Some people are no longer part of our lives because they’ve died or moved away. Other people perhaps shouldn’t be a part of our lives, because they’re dangerous or abusive. We can forgive from a distance those we should keep at a distance.

Reconciliation requires two people choosing to come back together.

Forgiveness, on the other hand, requires only one. Therefore, reconciliation isn’t always a possibility. But it is always possible to forgive.

This week, read chapters 8, 9, and 10 of Forgiveness: A Catholic Approach.

Ask yourself:  What was it like when someone unexpectedly forgave me?