Reflection for Pentecost Sunday

John 20: 19-23.

I'm just going to focus on verse 23:
"If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

We all know that there are many people who have sinned against us. Strangers, and even at times our closest of friends. A misunderstanding, a passing remark, a slip of the tongue in the heat of an argument. All these are the ingredients of sins.

There's always two options for handling this.
1. Forgive and forget.
2. Forgive and not forget.

It is always tough to take option 1, but still, we must somehow, take it in our stride and just take it with a huge pinch of salt, and just carry on with life. Just don't let one sore remark ruin your entire day, or entire life for that matter. There's still so many things that you are capable of doing. So don't let a sharp tongue obstruct you from achieving a certain goal. Let bygones be bygones.

Option 2 is quite a tricky one, forgiving but not forgetting that it ever happened is quite easy to do. This just means that you'll just be wary of this particular person who has just tainted your image of him/her. Oh well, just be careful then. It's all an act. A facade. Hence, the part of being wary of the person. It may not be always what it seems.

For me? I choose option 3. Not forgive and just forget. Until today, I am still hurt, by the venom of a snake bite from a previous friendship. It is just too tough to move on. Therefore, those sins which I do not forgive, are not forgiven. They will reside in me until the day I find a way to love again.

To conclude, Dear Lord, please grant me and others like me, the strength to be like you, to be so loving and so forgiving. To love your people so much that you gave up your life for us. We, the people, who condemned you to the cross. And yet, with the power of your love, you forgave us. Thank you, Lord. I ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.