Merton and Forgiveness
Posted by Mark Shaw on June 15, 2008
A friend of mine is a non-believer. I respect his feelings and I believe he respects mine. Despite his lack of belief in God, he leads a productive life by trying to help others at every turn. Recently, he asked me whether a good way to lead our life is to the remember the following: ”don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t hurt people for personal gain, don’t spread rumors — be humble and generous and forgiving.”
To this, I say Amen! To my way of thinking, this is true Christlike behavior and indicates a loving heart towards everyone. But the last word he uses is perhaps the most important – forgiving. And this is a tough one – for we all have those who have hurt us in one way or another. It may be family members, colleagues at work, neighbors, any number of people who for whatever reason, deserved or not, have impacted our lives in an adverse way. Too often we carry about the hurt inside us long after the other person has totally forgotten all about it. He or she has moved ahead, we are still living in the past.
Thomas Merton talks about forgiveness in a book called Passon for Peace edited by William Shannon. This and other jewels of wisdom are included in The Pocket Merton, a small book featuring many helpful messages from the greatest spiritual writer of the twentieth century.
Merton writes: “The Christian, in his humility and faith, must be available to his brother, to his world, in the present, as the child is. But he cannot see the world with childlike innocence and simplicity unless his memory is cleared of past evils by forgiveness.”
Remember when you were a child? Remember how you saw the world with innocence. Well, Merton is saying we may return to that lens/perspective if we can empty ourselves of grudges, ill-feelings, hate, whatever the emotion, and simply do so by forgiving. Who do you need to forgive so that you may move forward, so that you may empty your heart of any grief and become childlike again? If there is someone who comes to mind, forgive them today. Your burden will be lifted.
