“The Hiding Place”, the autobiography of Corrie ten Boom, is the story of a family’s efforts to hide Dutch Jews from the Nazis in World War II. Betrayed by a friend, the Booms were sent to a concentration camp. The story is about her unbelievable acts of forgiveness toward her captors. Miss Boom explains her personal approach to forgiveness as a choice, a deliberate act of the will rather than an emotional feeling. The decision to forgive eventually set her free from her bitterness and resentment for what had happened. She fully believed that God’s love and grace gave her the personal strength that made her decision to forgive possible.

Today’s Gospel from the Sermon on the Mount is a lesson delivered by Jesus Christ, instructing us to choose good over evil. We should be generous and self-giving to develop a forgiving heart, which we extend to those who hurt us. Even when it’s difficult, we need to be peacemakers, not warriors. When wronged, do we want to react with mistreatment and violence or with kindness and generosity? When conflicts come into our lives, Jesus taught that we should change from the old ways of “an eye for an eye” and adopt a higher standard of love and forgiveness. If we could respond to evil with kindness, maybe it would be a more peaceful, loving world. Turning toward Jesus’ instructions in our daily involvements with others could bring us to transform our lives as well as those around us.

When we choose to forgive, we move forward and practice mercy. Jesus’ teachings are about honesty, caring, and concern for others, making relationships work. Sometimes our pride gets in the way, and we reach for his omnipresent grace. We choose goodness and self-control. We choose to forgive so we can live forgiven.

Who will you choose to forgive today? Who will forgive you?

Let us pray:

“You never touch the ocean of God’s love as when you forgive and love your enemies.” (Carrie ten Boom)