THE SPLINTERS

THE SPLINTERS

In this Year of Mercy there are no end of articles, books, essays and the like, on the subject of forgiveness.  All of them have a familiar theme i.e., refusal to forgive is a cancer on the soul and the psyche.  Usually the focus is on the big things that injure us but as my mother-in-law used to say; “It’s not the crosses, it’s the splinters.”

The splinters are the little hurts that from an objective view are very minor, but to the person who has been hurt they are major indeed and our refusal to forgive and forget them is the cause of the pain.   Each of us has some splinter that pokes our memory bank and brings the whole thing back. The problem is we welcome it and re-live it.  We can’t seem to let those splinters go.  Holding on to them impedes our ability to show mercy.

There are no splinters in God’s forgiveness.  There is a wonderful word that best describes the mercy of God – magnanimous.  God is magnanimous in his forgiveness.

There are no conditions, no qualifications in God’s mercy.  Thousands of years ago he spoke through the prophet, “I will remember their sins no more.” (Jer:31-34) How is it that we don’t believe Him?  Perhaps it is because we don’t want to forgive wholly ourselves, thus we have created the myth that God’s mercy has strings attached, thereby justifying ourselves.

When I think of the magnanimous nature of God, I think of The Spirit of Christmas Present as portrayed in The Muppet’s Christmas Carol.  When Scrooge awakens at the stroke of one, the Spirit is in his study and the light shining from the room is blinding.  Scrooge peeks his head around the door carefully and beholds a creature so huge that the room can hardly hold him. The room has been transformed into a wonderland of Christmas with trees and candles and tinsel.  He is dressed in red and gold with a full red beard and a jolly red face.  When he sees Ebenezer, he smiles and puts out his arms crying,  “Come in and know me better, man!” 

Imagine God this way; calling us to know him better and to understand that depth of  his love for us is beyond our grasp and is given without reservation.  There are no splinters left over when God forgives. His mercy is full and complete and given freely.  God simply wants us to love him and one another with the same magnanimous spirit.

Jesus said, “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”  (Matthew 5:48) That may seem like too much to ask, but in this one area we could at least try.  We think we can’t get over that slight, insult, or betrayal but we can and we must.  A beloved friend of mine says that when these things crop up she simply throws them over her shoulder and moves on.  It’s worth a try.  Mercy is a two way street, in that when you show it, you receive it.

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA