(Image from http://www.jesusmariasite.org)
Wednesday February 8th 2017
Today we remember Saint Josephine Bakhita, a woman who found the strength in God’s love to overcome painful memories of cruelty and injustice in her past experience of slavery. Forgiveness can be a long process of letting go for so many of us, and we too need the help of God’s grace.
Once upon a time, I was caught up with a past hurt. When I was much younger, somebody told me that I was ugly and wasn’t worth anything. I went home and wept, looking in the mirror to see if I was really ugly. The next day, I walked up to the person and announced to her that I was not ugly. I became really angry and disassociated myself from her. Our parents intervened in the situation but it didn’t make any difference. We became enemies for years.
One day, I went to Mass and the Gospel teaching of forgiving seventy times seven times was read. It dawned on me that there is no limit to how many times we can forgive one another. When I got home, I gave her a call and she could not believe I did that. Tears ran down from my eyes and I felt a huge relief. I discovered I was holding myself in bondage all those years.
Sometimes we do things, thinking we want to hurt others and in real sense it is ourselves we are hurting. From that experience, I realised that it is only in letting go that I am able to forgive myself and others. It doesn’t matter how many times I have to do this. As Saint Josephine said, ‘”The Lord has loved me so much: we must love everyone, we must be compassionate.”’
FMSL
agnellusmirror 
Pingback: 8 February: Saint Josephine Bakhita | agnellusmirror