Become Forgiveness - Fr. Jack Wall 9.13.26

Have you ever noticed how the past can sometimes feel strangely present? Someone says something that hurt you ten years ago—and suddenly, there you are again. You can hear their voice, feel the sting, and remember exactly what happened. So how do we forgive when the hurt still feels so real? Maybe forgiveness begins by turning toward the part of us inside that is still hurting and saying: “I see you and you don’t have to carry this alone anymore.” Because forgiveness isn't about forgetting, pretending it didn't happen, or putting yourself in a position to be hurt again. Forgiveness can have boundaries. It's saying, “What happened wasn't okay—and I'm still choosing love.” When we can offer compassion to the wounded parts of ourselves, we can begin to loosen our grip, make room for healing, and even find greater compassion for the wounded parts of others. Because forgiveness isn't a single moment when we suddenly say, “I'm over it.” It's a journey of remembering and releasing, protecting ourselves while opening our hearts again and discovering that the hurt doesn't have to define us. Today, Father Jack Wall teaches us that if we want to know forgiveness, we must become forgiveness—and that means doing the inner work so that our hearts of peace and love can become bigger than the hurt.