Letter from the Pastor
-
September 28, 2025“I forgive him!” Three little words that shocked the world. Three little words that made many stop and reflect. Three little words spoken by a young widow and mother, who saw her husband murdered. And the rest of the world could see it as well on social media.
She uttered those words from a stage last Sunday in front of the President and Vice President of the United States. Through her tears she told the crowd of 100,000, with more than 100 million watching through the media. In the sight of the nations, when the world would expect anger and revenge, she forgave her husband’s murderer. She said, “Our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ That young man … I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did…”
Of all the new teachings of our Lord, the most radical and new was His teaching on forgiveness. It certainly wasn’t a part of the ancient Hebrew thinking, if fact the Law of Talion: an eye for an eye… was great advancement in social justice on the part of the Hebrew people. Our Lord taught to love your enemies, forgive those who persecute you, forgive countless times, and the many teachings found in the Gospels, and many parables that taught forgiveness.
Her words started a discussion on the possibility of forgiveness. Some commentators and pundits said that they could never possibly forgive someone who did that to their loved ones. Others dehumanized the shooter, calling him an animal, a monster, and other vile names. They wish him to rot in hell, suffer untold agonies etc.
How does one forgive something so heinous? Only by the grace, the power, and the strength of God. And through prayer, when we realize how often God forgives us of some very serious sins, at that. Why should we forgive? Because God forgives us.
We can never deny our humanity, because of our fallen nature, immediately we may want revenge, our raw emotions take over. However, we are called to rise above our sinful nature, to the supernatural nature of grace.
It is also very important to remember that forgiveness does not take away the desire for justice. True forgiveness means to refuse to hate or want revenge, but it strengthens your desire and need for justice because justice and forgiveness (mercy) are two sides of the same coin. They are united in God; they have to be united in us too, or our forgiveness is not total and complete. Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting or excusing the evil done. Our Lord forgave the Good Thief, but He didn’t take away his punishment.
Also, as the widow will find out, an act of forgiveness is not just a one-time event. It has to be repeated, many times. Our emotions will well up within us from time and time again, and at those moments when we are tempted, we need to renew our forgiveness. The grace and power of God, and the comfort and calmness He gives again, will take over once more.
The Christian meaning of forgiveness is to refuse to hate, to seek revenge. Rather to seek justice, and even the good-will toward the person who hurt you and your loved ones. Real love is always wanting what is good for the other, and praying for their repentance, and their salvation. I grant you it is not easy, but with the grace of God, all things are possible.
The love and forgiveness of Christians changed the brutality of the ancient world; we need to do it again. Pray for all those involved in this tragic event, even the shooter and his family. Also pray for everyone (including ourselves?) who may still have someone to forgive. St. Paul reminds us: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
An Act of Generosity
Sunday, in Toner Hall from 8:15 AM to 2:15 PM, our Parish’s Autumn Blood Drive is taking place. As you can imagine, blood and its very important components are very necessary. One pint of your blood can save up to 3 lives.
In the United States, 32,000 pints of donated blood are used each day. Each year, 4.5 million American lives are saved through blood transfusions. Plus giving blood improves your blood flow and reduces arterial blockages. Studies have found that people who donated blood reduced their risk of experiencing a heart attack by 88%.
Plus, you get really good cookies to eat afterwards!!
Please consider participating in this weekend's second collection for St. Joseph's Seminary.St. Joseph’s is the major seminary of the Archdiocese of New York. Its primary mission is to serve the Church by forming men for the Catholic priesthood who will hand on the life and tradition of the Church’s faith in the context of the new evangelization of the twenty-first century. The Seminary offers a program of human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation that is faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Through an integration of these “pillars of formation”, St. Joseph’s aims to form men according to the Heart of Jesus the Good Shepherd.