Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

"Jesus Christ is risen!  Love has triumphed over hatred, life has conquered death, light has dispelled the darkness!"  Pope Francis

It is hard when we struggle with forgiveness and letting go of deep hurt. It it is only through God’s grace that we are able do this when people we love hurt us deeply, people we truly trusted and thought loved us, and yet, we need to choose to do this.

Choose to let go of the pain and the hurt. Choose to follow Christ.

It is in times like this that I truly know what it means to be “brokenhearted” and how Jesus is close to us when we are. When we trust people with the very intimacy of our hearts, when we share that which is most dear to us and embedded in our hearts, and it is not treated with the respect and dignity it deserves, but used instead for an agenda, it is very painful. When the precious gift that is given and the cross of betrayal keeps on giving because of the circumstances, it is so hard to continue to choose to forgive, but forgive we must.

This lent I truly shared in the suffering of Christ. I prayed and continue to pray for the grace not to be resentful, bitter or angry, but to make that choice to forgive, everyday if I have to. It is hard when you are in deep pain, but it is a choice we need to continue to make because of our love for God, and because in the end that is what is really important, giving the mercy we have received.

I learned a lot this lent. Perhaps what struck me most  was something I knew and heard a million times before, but this time, it took on new meaning. Christ forgave from the cross!

He did not forgive when He was feeling better, or when things settled down and He resurrected. He forgave from that very place of excruciating pain. He chose to forgive in the midst of His betrayal, physical and mental pain, His crucifixion! He chose to conquer sin with His love and forgiveness and mercy.

By His grace may we do the same.