One who is not free can only revenge

Already this Sunday the whole Church, and in Her face all of us will ask one another for forgiveness. But what does it mean to "forgive"?

Church-Slavic "прости" (forgive – Eng.) has the same root as the word "простота" (easiness – Eng.). It would not be a mistake to assume that the original meaning of it could be referred to as "make your life easier."

Indeed, the unwillingness to forgive another person is not only a sin, but also a serious psychological problem. Since you cannot forgive, then you cannot let go. There is a parable. One monk travelled with his pupil. On the banks of the river, they met a girl who did not dare to cross the river because of the rapid flow. The monk, without hesitation, wrapped his hands with a robe (not to touch the female body) and carried her to the other bank. They went on, but the pupil disapproved the mentor silently all the way. Before the evening prayer, the pupil angrily expressed his indignation with the act of the monk: "How did you as a monk dare to take a woman in your hands?". In response, the teacher said: "I took her, carried across the river, and left on the bank. And you are still carrying her....".

The same can be said about a man who does not want to forgive a neighbor – he/she bears a grudge and torments themselves with it more than with the reason that caused it.

To forgive does not mean to forget. To say "I forgive you" does not mean to say "nothing has happened". It means: "Let bygones be bygones and somehow live on." To forgive means not to forget but let go. One who can forgive has a stronger spirit than that who can only revenge. Forgiveness builds and revenge destroys. What exactly? Peace. Without forgiveness, peace is impossible in principle. Without forgiveness, you can only talk about a truce, which implies the continuation of the war. One who is free can only forgive. One who is not free can only revenge.

A beast cannot forgive. Not only because it cannot be offended, but because it does not know what it is like to be merciful. In the end, if we do not forgive, we cease to be human, complicate our life and gradually turn into animals.

Therefore, let us forgive each other everything, and try to live as human beings. We still have so much to do together!

KP in Ukraine