The Harder Path

Let me start by acknowledging that I’m a big fan of pop culture. I don’t like everything, but pop culture offers music, movies, art, books, and other works that can be entertaining, energetic, and redeeming. So please note that I speak here as a fan of pop culture.

But pop culture misses some things too. For example, it doesn’t have a lot to say about forgiveness.

Revenge—ah, yes. We indulge in plenty of movies, books, TV shows, and other stories that delight in revenge. They speak to the parts of our mind that delight in setting things straight, having people put in their place, and beating the bad guys.

But forgiveness, not so much.

What’s interesting is that revenge is typically portrayed as an expression of strength. By implication, forgiveness is an expression of weakness. In real life, though, it’s forgiveness that’s the harder path, the path that requires more internal strength and often requires God’s help.

As Mahatma Ghandi said, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

Forgiveness is the theme of this month’s Liguorian, and I hope you find much here to consider.

Redemptorist Fr. Mark Miller explains the sacrament of reconciliation, which can grant us God’s forgiveness and set a model for how we treat each other. Dr. Shawn McCauley Welch shares a guide to examining our conscience in preparation for reconciliation.

Columnist Kate Basi writes about the power of words like “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you.” Redemptorist Fr. Bruce Lewandowski addresses a very specific kind of forgiveness.

And there’s more. Please take a look.

What do you like about Liguorian? What would you like to change? We’re eager to hear from you. Please feel free to write me directly at publisher@liguorian.org. I try to get back to anyone who writes me within a couple of days. If I’m later than that, well, I hope you’ll forgive me.