Dearest friends, another person sent a serious concern on this same issue of FORGIVENESS. Let me still quote him verbatim but I also attached his comment to this post:
“This forgiveness of a thing is the reason why Muslims are killing Christians everywhere.”
Indeed, the above is a serious concern but then, the question is: should we begin to kill them also? Can two WRONGS make any right? Certainly No! Yes, we have the OBLIGATION to defend ourselves from aggressors but not just to take up arms to kill them because they killed Christians.
Now, the lives of the Martyrs lend credence to the above. Just take a look at the very words of the Martyr St. Andrew Kim, whom we celebrated few days ago (September 20) thus:
My very dear brethren, know this: our Lord Jesus, coming down here, himself suffered pains beyond counting: by his Passion he founded the Church and by the passion of his faithful he makes it grow. The powers of this world may well oppress it and attack it, but they will NEVER HAVE VICTORY over it. After the Ascension of Jesus, from the time of the Apostles until now, the holy Church has GROWN everywhere in the middle of persecution (From the Final Exhortation of St. Andrew Kim, Priest and Martyr).
Dearest friends, how then do you explain that many religions, kings and Emperors, etc. persecuted and are still persecuting the Christians with the the intention of erasing every trace of the faith but the same Christian faith has grown from strength to strength while the persecutors have continued to disappear? Does that not tell us that the BATTLE is not ours but the LORD’S?
Please, always FORGIVE. Yes, you should equally pray for God’s protection on yourself and family but do not forget to always pray for the conversion of your persecutors/enemies and then for their well-being too. Do not wish or pray for the DEATH of them because that is not the WAY that Jesus Christ taught us. This is exactly Jesus’ own teaching which we ought to follow:
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall have hatred for your enemy.’ But I say to you: LOVE your ENEMIES. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you (cf. Matt 5:42-43).
Remain blessed🙏🏼
