Peace be with you: Where there is injury, pardon

Where there is injury, pardon

Peace in forgiveness
As we meditate upon the peace, it is important to rely upon the mercy of God and glorify His everlasting mercy. Let us focus on the benefits of contemplating, living, and glorifying the mercy of God in the ways to achieve peace in this life. The faithful action of reflecting God mercy is forgiveness. Forgiveness springs from God’s mercy and opens the everlasting fountain of peace. Revelations to St. Faustino depict the benefits of glorifying the mercy of God, as it is stated, "These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death." It is the greatest heavenly assurance for a soul. While we do not know, when, where, how our end will be, one thing is certain, if we live by the mercy of God, if our life efforts are to proclaim the mercy of God, and if our decisions reflected the mercy of God, we will die in mercy of God. Then we will reap the promise of divine mercy, which is eternal peace.

The souls those who live by the mercy of God not only will shine in the eternity but also will shine in this earthly life and bring peace to the world. Mercy of God is visualized and realized in every human effort of charity in this earth. Charity includes not just sharing what we have with who do not have, but also charity includes the forgiveness of one another looking upon God's mercy. The greater charity in this world includes forgiveness and praying for those who hurt us.

Living by mercy entails forgiving oneself for one's own weaknesses. Mercy includes forgiving the family for their shortcomings knowing God’s presence in the family. Mercy includes forgiving neighbors, community, and all around us and living in peace with everybody. Mercy includes looking and highlighting the goodness in everybody and everywhere. Many times we use a saying known us, " for God sake" these words have great meaning, that if one look upon God and what God has done for them they could forgive and accommodate others shortcomings for God sake. The soul, which lives by the awareness of God’s mercy, will find goodness in everything it sees and relates. Such a soul, which is in tune with God's mercy, will be able to find goodness even in hardships, heartbreaks, trouble, and even in enemy. Mercy is nature of God and it flows from only God, one can reflect mercy, only by looking at God's mercy for oneself. Therefore, reflecting mercy takes experiencing God's mercy in ones own life, as the first step.

Knowing God's mercy in the natural world is very easy. If we look at God's creations all around us, we can see God's mercy and love for us everyday. If we look at all the love we receive from parents, siblings, family, spouse, children, friends, and relatives, we can experience the mercy of God in them. Many at times we take these love for granted, in fact they all were possible by divine mercy of God. If we recall all the leaders, teachers, and mentors, we have had all along our life, we can appreciate God's guiding mercy through them.

If we reflect upon people, in the light of God’s mercy we will be able to find the meaning and the purpose in them. We may find some of them contrasting our views, ideas, positions and we may conclude they are not on our side. However, God places them in our life with the purpose of our good and for common good. If we analyze our past, we may find them serving God’s purpose in our life surprisingly sometimes they serve as an instrument to change our course to grow and shine, which we could not have achieved without their challenges. This kind of purpose and meaning of existence goes beyond the individuals’ good will and understanding. Irrespective of individual motive behind their actions, God is capable of turning them into goodness for His people. We can also understand their interruptions on our ways have served to protect us from the fall on the slippery path ahead. God places many with such greater purpose all along our life; such purpose-filled associations may serve as thorns in the bushes or spikes of needles in the fence. I always pay attention to such people when I come across them than the people who may agree with me all the time.
Therefore, in forgiving all who hurt us is an essential quality to experience peace in life. For this very reason, Jesus asked us to forgive the enemies and pray for those who hurt you. It is in prayer we will be able to discern God's will and purpose behind the situations.

If we reflect upon all those who we depend upon at home, at work, or in the community, we can vividly palpate God's mercy. If we reflect upon all the events where we were helpless, in the times of our needs, when we had no where to turn, then some one who is unknown, unexpected, unforeseen people came along to lend help, to rescue, to restorate, and to motivate. Such an experience came from God's mercy in those difficult situations. If we reflect upon all those who have tolerated our shortcomings or even forgiven our mischief, in those situations, we received God's mercy. Likewise, we can go on and on listing God's mercy in day today natural earthly life.

St. Francis of Assisi emphasized the forgiveness in his prayer as, “it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” Forgiveness of others is a quality of gospel way of life. Forgiveness is the measurement and criteria for ones own forgiveness. Forgiveness reflects the mercy and peace of God in earthly life.


Annapoorna Mary, 2011
Prepared and presented in the Franciscan Retreat, November, 5th, 2011
Our Lady of Queen of Peace Retreat Center, Memphis Dioceses.