LIGHTWORKS THREE/2:1 (Jn 21:15-19)

JESUS KEEPS ON FORGIVING

What I want
I beg God my Creator to give me the gift of being full of forgiveness -- for myself and for those around me. 

I went into this prayer time doing my Examen prayer from yesterday, and during my listening time, you said to forgive the rude guy at the pizza oven at the restaurant we were at last night. The old Carol would have complained to the management about his rudeness. The new Carol forgave and prayed. We talked about it at our table when we discern something, we do not criticize, we pray. That is what I did. This morning, I sealed it with absolute forgiveness. Then, I come to the theme for this week's Lightworks: Jesus keeps on forgiving. 

I didn't write on here about another encounter that I had with a new librarian. I have a great relationship of many years with people at that library, and I was shocked when asking a question about something, she all of a sudden turned on me and got really snippy. I asked George if he thought I had done something to provoke it, but he confirmed that I had not. The old Carol would have complained to the management. The new Carol forgave. The next morning. during my Examen, you said, "Her perception is reality. You adjusted. Be kind. Do not retaliate. Forgive her." Then my meditation was in Jn 13 and Jesus washing feet, even the feet of the one who he knew would betray him. Tetlow writes, "You are constantly called on to forgive - as you have been forgiven." p. 285 Choosing Christ in the World. 

Jesus told Peter to forgive 70 x 7 (Mt 18:22) - "The only way you can keep forgiving over and over again is to be filled with God's forgiveness of your own sins. When you feel how generously God forgives you and grow thankful for it, then the forgiveness spills over to others. . . The Commandments taught you to love others and to 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Then Jesus teaches you to pray the Our Father, asking forgiveness for your sins as you 'forgive those who sin against you.'" p. 291

So thankful that real life and prayer life are melting into one. So applicable to where I am at. The old Carol was into justice. When it comes to the injustice of a librarian and pizza baker being rude, the old Carol thought they needed to know that their behavior was unacceptable and will probably help them in their job, but the new Carol is all about just forgiving and letting it go and extending grace. It is not that I have never extended grace in the past, (I have willingly done it with one family member for 30+ years.) but I am more automatic in my response than I ever have been in the past. 

Fifteen minutes is up. Good words from God today!