Mathews Mar Barnabas, Metropolitan of American Diocese
In this world of ignorance and selfishness, there is a lot of injustice and
crimes. What is the remedy? How can we develop spiritual health and
establish peace? We have to overcome so many evils. Let us deal with the
spirit of revenge and jealousy here.
1. How to overcome the spirit of revenge and foster the spirit of
forgiveness and win friends?
Our natural reaction to injustice is hatred, anger and revenge. If we
follow the instinct of revenge, we will end up in more trouble, both for
those who revenge and those who are revenged. If we begin to follow the law
of ³an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,² the whole world will become
blind and toothless, as Mahatma Gandhi the Father of the Indian nation, has
said.
Acts of anger and revenge may give us temporary satisfaction. But the
feeling of hurt will remain in us. Suppressing anger is also not advisable.
The real solution is to understand human weakness and sympathize with those
who hurt us and forgive them whole heartedly. Forgiveness will release us
from hatred and anger. Our Lord had pity even on those who crucified Him and
prayed for them as follows, ³Father forgive them. For they know not what
they do² (St. Lk. 23:24).
Our duty to forgive others is made clear by our Lord in the parable of
the unjust servant. ³ŒTherefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a
king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the
reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as
he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife
and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave
fell on his knees before him, saying: ŒHave patience with me, and I will pay
you everything.¹ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released
him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon
one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by
the throat, he said, ŒPay what you owe.¹ Then his fellow-slave fell down and
pleaded with him: ŒHave patience with me, and I will pay you.¹ But he
refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt
(St. Matt 18: 23-30)²
St. Paul says ³put on then as God¹s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness and patience, forgiving one
another, and if anyone of you have a complaint against another, forgive each
other as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you must forgive² (Col. 3:12,
13). It is good to examine ourselves and see whether our forgiveness is
complete and unconditional.
St. Paul speaks of whole-hearted forgiveness. ³See that none of you
repays evil for evil; but always seek to do good to one another and to all²
(I Thess. 5:15). This is an advice given to everyone of us without
exception. This also means that we have to forgive everyone in all
circumstances. This forgiveness is not only avoiding acts of revenge, but
also continuing to do deeds of love, at all times.
Let me tell an example of real forgiveness. A few years ago a person
bought a plot of land in Kangazha near Kottayam in India. There was no way
to go to that place. He had to go through the compound of the adjacent
neighbor. The neighbor did not allow him to make a way through his compound.
Then it so happened that the son of the neighbor fell ill and was in a
critical condition. The father of the boy took the boy to the Kangazha
hospital. It was noon time and the doctors had gone for lunch. There was
only a junior doctor in the emergency room. The father of the boy was in a
helpless condition. He did not know what to do. Now the man, who was refused
a way, was there for some purpose. Finding the precarious condition of the
boy, he brought down a senior doctor he had known. Thus the boy was saved.
We can imagine how thankful the boy¹s father was for the timely help.
Straightway he promised to give a way through his compound. See the result
of forgiveness!
St. Paul says, ³Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with
good² (Rom. 12:21). We have to fill the world with love through our love
expressed in forgiveness and make the world a heaven.
2. How to overcome jealousy and win friends
Generally speaking, we don¹t have jealousy with our dear ones. We love
them and consider their success as our own and rejoice with them. We also
encourage them to have more success. St. Paul says, ³Rejoice with those who
rejoice and weep with those who weep² (Rom. 12:15). When we rejoice with
those who rejoice and encourage them, their joy will be increased and their
work will have more progress. Naturally they will become our friends.
An extreme case of jealousy we find in King Saul of the Old Testament.
When the women gave more praise to David than to Saul, Saul became jealous
of David. ³And they were coming home when David returned from slaying the
Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and
dancing to meet King Saul with timbrels, with songs of joy and with
instruments of music, and the women sang to one another as they made merry:
Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands² (I Sam. 18: 6-7).
Hearing this Saul became jealous and tried to kill David.
We find this kind of jealousy in many places. Those who have the least
of jealousy refuse to appreciate and support the good works of others. The
world is suffering much due to jealousy. It is our duty to help people to
realize the folly of jealousy and to love one another.
An example for the lack of jealousy and full appreciation is Jonathan
the son of Saul. Jonathan identified himself completely with David and loved
him as his own soul. ³Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he
loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that
was upon him and gave it to David; and his armor and even his sword, and his
bow and his girdle² (I Sam. 18: 3-4). As a result Jonathan became the best
friend of David.
We must follow the example of Jonathan and identify ourselves with
people and help them and encourage them in their endeavors. Thus there will
be more progress in the good works of people and people will become our
friends. Thus we can make this world a heaven.
3. Conclusion
The power to forgive sins and the readiness to appreciate the goodness
of people is to be received from our Lord. Our Lord said, ³I am the vine you
are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much
fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing² (St. Jn 15:5). Our Lord renews
His indwelling in us and strengthens us when we receive Holy Qurbana,
dedicating ourselves whole heartedly. Our Lord said, ³He who eats my flesh
and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him² (St. Jn. 6:56). Again our
Lord said that He will abide in us when we obey His commandments, ³If a man
loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him, and we will come
to him and make our home with him (St. Jn. 14:23).
Thus we can make this world a heaven through the love expressed in
forgiveness and appreciation, by the grace of God.
source:
http://www.st-thomas-orthodox-dc.org/articles/ourdutytomakethisworldaheaven.
htm
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