HARDENED HEARTS
Patrice Tuohy, (who is the cofounder of TrueQuest Communications and the publisher of PREPARE THE WORD) recently shared a story of how people can be spiritually and emotionally paralyzed when they are unwilling to forgive. My hunch is that we all have already experienced similar stressful situations.
“Dolores received the cold shoulder from Bob at a recent gathering of friends. Bob is a contractor and the husband of one of her dearest friends Miriam. Later Dolores asked her friend why she received the snub. The friend had avoided this moment for a while but finally decided to let the chips fall where they may.
‘Bob is upset because you spent two weekends of his time looking at properties that you were thinking of buying or renovating. I felt you never really said thank you or offered to pay for his time or travel. Then when you finally bought your new house, you hired another contractor. To be clear, he’s not upset that you didn’t hire him. He was just surprised that you never asked him to bid on the job or even offer him the courtesy of letting him know your plans.’
‘Oh please,’ was Dolores’ immediate response. ‘I said thank you for his time. Besides, it was over two years ago. That is ridiculous!’
‘Hey you asked why you received the cold shoulder, and right or wrong, that is the answer.’ Privately, Miriam had tried to persuade her husband to let it go, but, for Bob, it was another example in a long line of selfish behavior that made him want nothing more to do with his wife’s friend.
Dolores sought input from other friends All of them gave her the same advice: ‘Just say you’re sorry.’
‘Why should I?!’ was always Dolores’ indignant response. ‘I didn’t do anything wrong.’
And thus, Dolores and Bob continue on this ever-widening path of distance and silence.
Either could take the first step toward reconciliation. Bob with a simple, “I forgive you,” or Dolores with a humble, “I am sorry I hurt you.”
For the rest of their friends, all they can do is continue to shower both of them with love.”
The readings that we hear at Mass this Sunday are all about forgiveness. They may be challenging and unsettling when we hear them. In the gospel we encounter an unmerciful servant. This parable helps us understand how the greatness of God’s mercy challenges us and enables us to forgive those who have sinned against us.
As God has forgiven us, so must we also forgive one another. As God has loved us, so can we love one another.
The good news is that we are not alone. Jesus gives us the strength to forgive. He can release us from habits of resentment. He can free us from the negativity that quickly brings us down.
So, turn to Jesus today. Ask for his grace to open your heart in compassion. Receive his mercy and then go show it to the people around you.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!
This Saturday we celebrate a “New Ministry Year” with our annual Ministry Leader Blessing at the 5:00 p.m. Mass. Here at ICSJ, we are blessed to have so many dedicated people in our community that generously share their time, talents, and leadership to make our parish a vibrant faith community.
Some of them are the sacristans you might see each weekend running our liturgy or the hospitality team serving coffee and donuts. But we also have many who work behind the scenes on any given day of the week, organizing gatherings, training new volunteers, and providing outreach opportunities that support our parishioners and our wider community.
This Saturday, we celebrate in gratitude for all those who have stepped up to make our faith community a home for all.
If you are feeling a desire to step more fully into our parish life, see all ministries that our parish has to offer at icsjparish.org/mission. Share your gifts with our “Family of Families!”
