As We Forgive: Week 7-- Pages 232-264

The quote that opens this section is from Mary McCarthy. She says, “In violence we forget who we are.” Mary, who was orphaned at 6, knew a bit about violence from the abusive relatives that raised her for a few years before her maternal grandparents intervened and rescued her. And, though she was raised Catholic—she walked away from the Christian faith. In our book, we have read how violence did cause people to lose themselves—to be swept away by something horribly huge—something that changed them forever.

This last section tells another story of transformation. By now I know the pattern our author, Catherine, takes in her storytelling and I have to steal myself to fall in love with people who will be hurt in incomprehensible ways.

We first read of Claude—an innocent you man, and then we read of Innocent—a man who kills members of Claude’s family. We read how the violence took root in Claude’s heart and grew hatred, bitterness and a plan to return violence for violence. And, then we see God intervene, transform and bring amazing forgiveness that not only touches Claude but the people he purposes to meet and forgive.

Claude’s life is dramatically changed during his journey towards forgiveness. “I feel as though I’m free in my heart now. Before I forgave, I was small. Now I’m big.” Though his life is completely different- Claude has to continue to choose to forgive, to live peaceably with the people who had been his family’s enemies. The scars of his life will always be with him. Parents and a sister are missing from his family circle—killed with unforgiveable violence. Yet, Claude has turned from death to life, living forgiveness and working with other victims to help them rebuild their lives with forgiveness in their hearts for those who took so much from them.

Catherine ends her sections with interludes and this time, the interlude is a postlude. I am a bit relieved to be at the end of this book—the stories have been hard to read and convicting. What huge lives our forgiving heroes are living. They are really following in Christ’s footsteps. I’m sure it isn’t easy, that they have bad days when evil feelings threaten to steal the peace they’ve come to know with Christ’s help. And, it really is only because of Christ that they have been able to forgive, reconcile and help rebuild their beautiful country. Jesus, when he rose from the grave, still had scars—like our heroes. His scars were visible proof of the violence he had suffered and the forgiveness he had given.

Catherine writes on page 264, “When God raised this man, Jesus Christ, from the dead, he didn’t take away his scars. These scars testify to his pain, to his love, and to the extent to which God will go to conquer the evil of the world through the active suffering of forgiveness.”

There are scars in my life—real ones that have changed me and people I love. My daughter was sexually abused as an MK—though healed and whole, she isn’t the same person she would have been if this had never happened. I struggle with forgiveness—doing much better when the scars aren’t visible, but when they are rarely apparent, I feel emotions I thought were gone forever. And, I have to confront those feelings, the lies that come with them, and—all over again,seek truth and the ability to forgive.

“Forgive us our debts as we forgive others debts…” Please God, help me to forgive. No matter what! I have been forgiven so much—may I always be willing to live in forgiveness with those you have placed in my life.

This is our last week to post on this book. Do you have a transformational forgiveness story of your own to tell? We’d love to hear it and praise our Lord with you. Do you have a story that hasn’t reached forgiveness yet? We’d love to hear it, too—and pray with you.

If those stories aren’t yours, please post how this book has impacted you. Thank you for reading this life-changing book with me. I’ve grown as I’ve read and your comments have been a very important part of my rich experience with, As We Forgive.

NEXT BOOK CLUB: OCTOBER 11...see sidebar for book and ordering info for Caring without Wearing, by Carol Travilla