Weekly Newsletter: Daily Forgiveness

   Forgiveness is at the core of Steps Six, Seven, and Eight. Daily forgiveness of ourselves or someone else might not be a practice with which we’re accustomed. In the prayer Christians refer to as “The Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father” prayer, Jesus instructs his followers to pray: “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
     Doesn’t it seem likely we will hurt someone during the course of the day, even if it’s only in our thought life? Doesn’t it also seem likely someone will trespass or hurt us by something they say, do, or think? If so, then there is a need for daily forgiveness. Just as there is a need to love every day, there is also a need to forgive every day. There may be times when we can’t recall something that needs to be forgiven, and that’s wonderful. But, I propose those days are rare. There are always those times when we showed less love than we could have. Times when we could have been more compassionate. There are also times when well-intentioned plans went wrong.
     As part of our daily prayer, meditation, or perhaps as a refrain, let’s remember to forgive those who hurt us, and seek forgiveness from those we have hurt. We make this request to The Divine, and if the opportunity presents itself to ask forgiveness in person, we will be ready.