support group for those who ….

support group for those who have lost children to violence. Christian author and theologian Lewis B. Smedes stated, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

Over the past eight months, we have unknowingly become prisoners of our own ignorance and partisanship. Imprisonment drives men and women to hate, mistrust and seek revenge. We have locked up our feelings, seeing only the negative in our fellow beings. Projecting our emotional pain onto others, we expected to lessen our own suffering.

But relief for our suffering only comes through asking for and granting forgiveness.

Ask forgiveness of those we viewed as enemies and forgive those who unwittingly spread anger and illness. Our faith in one another’s goodness can supplant the divisive rhetoric that has shattered our society. Let forgiveness rekindle our faith in one other. Otherwise, nothing true, beautiful or good will come from our collective suffering.

Just as Mary Johnson freed herself from her prison of anger and animosity, we can free ourselves from ours by exhibiting compassion for our neighbors.

We may wish to forget 2020, but we should always remember how to forgive one another.