From The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu:
Forgiveness is not some airy-fairy thing. It has to do with the real world. Healing and reconciliation are not magic spells. They do not erase the reality of an injury. To forgive is not to pretend that what happened did not happen. Healing does not draw a veil over the hurt. Rather, healing and reconciliation demand an honest reckoning. For Christians, Jesus Christ sets the pattern for forgiveness and reconciliation. He offered his betrayers forgiveness. Jesus, the Son of God, could erase the signs of leprosy; heal those broken in body, mind, or spirit; and restore sight to the blind. He must also have been able to obliterate the signs of the torture and death he endured. But he chose not to erase that evidence. After the resurrection, he appeared to his disciples. In most instances, he showed them his wounds and his scars. This is what healing demands. Behavior that is hurtful, shameful, abusive, or demeaning must be brought into the fierce light of truth. And truth can be brutal. In fact, truth may exacerbate the hurt; it might make things worse. But if we want real forgiveness and real healing, we must face the real injury.
"he chose not to erase that evidence."
ReplyDeleteThis quote is great, Jeannie, and that line in particular hit me right between the eyes.
I know what you mean, Tim -- isn't that powerful? I've just begun this small book; it's got a simple yet very profound style and I think I'm going to get a lot out of it.
DeleteSomehow I missed this morsel when you posted it, Jeannie. I need to read this, pronto. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for commenting, Adriana -- I should link this quote to my Twitterature post of today, too. So your comment's a great reminder!
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