Forgiveness Quotation

Forgiveness flounders because I exclude the enemy from the community of humans even as I exclude myself from the community of sinners. But no one can be in the presence of the God of the crucified Messiah for long without overcoming this double exclusion - without transposing the enemy from the sphere of monstrous inhumanity into the sphere of shared humanity and herself from the sphere of proud innocence into the sphere of common sinfulness. When one knows that the torturer will not eternally triumph over the victim, one is free to rediscover that person's humanity and imitate God's love for him. And when one knows that God's love is greater than all sin, one is free to see oneself in the light of God's justice and so rediscover one's own sinfulness.

~Miroslav Volf

Comments

[Christi]

Perhaps forgiveness much like gratitude is given to you . . . is gift . . .

"You really cannot make it happen; gratitude like faith is given to you. It springs on you. It knocks the wind out of you just when everything seems impossible. Gratitude happens most often during suffering, loss and other really hard stuff. It is the leading edge of joy. It happens when the big reality hits you. You have no more right to be loved than anyone else." from Radical Hospitality

Hmmm . . . thank you for this!