On To Forgiveness...

This week concluded our journey through the virtue of kindness and moved to forgiveness. For children ages five to eight the thought of not forgiving was something they could not understand. Each child was given a balloon to blow air into. They held it tight to not let any air escape. We talked about how keeping the sadness, anger and sometimes frustration of someone hurting us locked inside is not good. However, when we forgive others we release all the hurt inside. That is when we released the air inside the balloon. They looked at me with kind eyes as if to say "umm yes, tell us something we don't know". Oh to be young again...

With middle school students it was quite different. So many of them have baggage inside from past hurts that will take time to release. It is not as easy to let air out of a balloon and release the hurt as it was for the eight year old. The hurt and pain is sometimes much too deep. Where in their hearts can they find the inner peace of forgiveness? It does not mean that all of the sudden the hurt is not real or did not happen. It simply means that they recognize we are all imperfect. That imperfection implores the idea of forgiveness if we are to survive the world.

For the upper elementary students I read a beautiful book titled Rising Above the Storm Clouds by Robert Enright. This is a wonderful book to illustrate what forgiveness looks like inside your body! Hard to imagine but the pictures and imagery created by the words paint a beautiful canvas of the grace forgiveness brings. Students explored the happy hearts they create inside themselves by forgiving others.

For younger students we read a Veggie Tale titled LarryBoy and the Mudslingers. How genius the writers were to illustrate that hurt can be mud that sticks to us, but once we forgive it is wiped away. An easy to understand illustration of the need to forgive our friends so we don't get "stuck in the mud." The Sacrament of Reconciliation removes the "mud" from our souls so we can stay in a state of grace. Genius.

Peter asked Jesus if he should forgive someone seven times. Jesus answered, "Not seven times but seventy times seven."

As adults we can understand our role and command to forgive...but our heart sometimes lags behind. Spend some time today reflecting on someone in your life that needs forgiveness. Remember: forgiving others is good for their heart...but it is a must for your soul.
?Be Him to others...

For more information on the Sacrament of Reconciliation visit: https://youtu.be/QtbpOERgMvk