"Forgiveness is the thorniest of bushes with the most splendid of roses," writes Marjorie J. Thompson in Family: The Forming Center.

Sometimes, especially when we have been deeply wounded, it is painfully hard to forgive, let alone forget. Indeed, forgiving always take effort and time. Forgiving is an art form, a skill that takes much practice to master. But it is a talent worth acquiring for when we do let go of another person's wrong against us, we feel the sweetest release. We experience a cleansing and a fresh newness of spirit. We are made whole again. Forgiveness frees us form the suffocating prison of resentment.

Forgiving others reminds us that we, like they, are human and that we, too, need to be forgiven. As we see our weakness and fault reflected in the other persons' sin, we recognize our culpability as well.

And, as we get in touch with our own need for forgiveness, an amazing thing happens. Strange as it sounds, we begin to feel compassion for a fellow human being who is subject to the same temptations and pitfalls to which we also succumb. So, who benefits more from our forgiving - the person we forgive or we, the forgiving ones? Sometimes it's hard to tell. Still, in spite of all the benefits we receive, we, in our sin, are capable of nursing grudges so long we may even forget what they were all about in the first place.

Look how little children forgive. They may shed tears when hurt, pout a bit, but then they kiss and make up, the sun beckons and off they go to play again, skipping freely, hand in hand. Forgiveness is at the very core of our faith. We worship a God who forgives, a God who forgives US! Our God reaches across the divide that we create by our sin and invites us home.

What's your favorite parable? Of all the stories Jesus told, the "Prodigal Son" ranks near the top of most Christians' lists. It is the warm-hearted story of the father who, like the Energizer bunny, just keeps forgiving and forgiving and forgiving and . . . Nothing can keep this parent from his restless desire to enfold both of his children in a loving embrace. It is faith in a God who forgives too much that empowers us to forgive - freely, lovingly, without any conditions - as we are forgiven.

-- John R.Gugel