Missionary Renegade: The Henri Nouwen Society of Toronto, Ontario, Canada DAILY MEDITATION with Father Henri J. M. Nouwen "Receiving Forgiveness" for Monday, 25 January 2016

Monday, January 25, 2016

The Henri Nouwen Society of Toronto, Ontario, Canada DAILY MEDITATION with Father Henri J. M. Nouwen "Receiving Forgiveness" for Monday, 25 January 2016

The Henri Nouwen Society of Toronto, Ontario, Canada DAILY MEDITATION with Father Henri J. M. Nouwen "Receiving Forgiveness" for Monday, 25 January 2016

Photo courtesy of SDGImagery.comThere are two sides to forgiveness: giving and receiving. Although at first sight giving seems to be harder, it often appears that we are not able to offer forgiveness to others because we have not been able fully to receive it. Only as people who have accepted forgiveness can we find the inner freedom to give it. Why is receiving forgiveness so difficult? It is very hard to say, "Without your forgiveness I am still bound to what happened between us. Only you can set me free." That requires not only a confession that we have hurt somebody but also the humility to acknowledge our dependency on others. Only when we can receive forgiveness can we give it.

For further reflection...
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' "[Matthew 18: 32-33]
Your response...
Do you find it difficult to receive forgiveness or feel forgiven?

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Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo.
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