2021 Lenten Meditations – Friday, March 19th
Saint Luke 23: 33-34
When they reached the place called the Skull, the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross. They also nailed the two criminals, one to the right and the other to the left of Jesus.
Soon after, Jesus said:
«Father, forgive all these people! They don’t know what they’re doing! “
CURSE: It is asking and wishing that something bad happens to someone.
What were the words of Jesus to his executioners, to the Pharisees and the assembled people?
«Father, forgive all these people! They don’t know what they’re doing! “
A person who is angry, hateful, resentful, reactive and whose emotions take control, what can that person want or ask for? Simple: EVIL – perhaps shouting or wishing something bad would happen to the person who offended us – a curse.
But Jesus, despite everything, asked for: FORGIVENESS.
In this Lenten season, forgiveness is the most important healing decision, the most important gift we can give to those in need and that we can receive from those in need. Forgiveness is also one of the greatest virtues we strive to develop with each of our girls and young people in Our Little Roses Ministries.
Our faith teaches us that to make this our priority – to pray every day, asking and giving forgiveness. That is why our Lord Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer: Forgive us our offenses, just as we forgive those who offend us. And that is a daily task.
Each year this journey through Lent to Easter offers us a time to reflect on our actions. What example do we give to follow? What words will come out of our mouths today or this week? Do we dare – are we brave enough, to forgive and to ask for forgiveness?
This season invites us to reflect and to open our hearts to the idea that perhaps the people who hurt us didn’t know what they were doing. Or how about you? Maybe you didn’t know, or fully realize, what you were doing to those around you.
In this season our faith calls us, and Jesus’ shows us, now we must choose to follow his example. Jesus could have chosen to curse those who were treating him so horribly, but he made the choice to consider that they did not understand their actions. Perhaps there is room in our lives to do the same – not only by forgiving others, but also by forgiving ourselves.
To phrase the natural law of giving and receiving: FORGIVE AND YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN.
Reverend Galeano
Chaplain Nuestras Pequeñas Rosas
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Spanish Translation
San Lucas 23:33-34
Cuando llegaron al lugar llamado La Calavera, los soldados clavaron a Jesús en la cruz. También clavaron a los dos criminales, uno a la derecha y el otro a la izquierda de Jesús.
Poco después, Jesús dijo:
«¡Padre, perdona a toda esta gente! ¡Ellos no saben lo que hacen!»
MALDECIR: Es pedir y desear que le ocurra un mal a alguien.
¿Cuáles fueron las palabras de Jesús para sus verdugos, para los fariseos y la gente reunida?
«¡Padre, perdona a toda esta gente! ¡Ellos no saben lo que hacen!»
Una persona airada, con odio, con rencor, reactiva y cuyas emociones le controlan, ¿qué puede desear o pedir? Simple: EL MAL.
Pero Jesús a pesar de todo, pidió: PERDÓN.
En este tiempo de Cuaresma, el perdón es la decisión de sanidad más importante para dar a quien lo necesita y para recibir de quien se necesita.
Y es una de las tareas grandes a desarrollar con nuestras niñas y jóvenes en los Ministerios Nuestras Pequeñas Rosas.
Cada día es prioridad orar pidiendo y dando el perdón. Por eso nuestro Señor Jesús nos lo enseñó en la oración del Padre Nuestro: Perdona nuestras ofensas, así como nosotros perdonamos a quien nos ofende. Y eso es una tarea diaria.
¿Cuál será tu ejemplo a seguir? ¿Qué palabras saldrán de tu boca hoy o esta semana? ¿Te animas a perdonar y pedir perdón? Porque quizás la gente que te ha herido no supo lo que hacía. O tú… no sabías lo que hacías. Y parafraseando la ley natural del dar y recibir: PERDONA Y SE TE PERDONARÁ.