Forgiveness Fridays - Let's talk about forgiving oneself.

Probably one of the hardest people to forgive is ourselves.  Maybe we strive for perfection and when we come up short, we berate ourselves with insults.  Who isn't hard on themselves?  I honestly have not met anyone who is very good at being kind to themselves.  Forgiving ourselves means we need to embrace humility, recognize that we are not in control, can't make things perfect, allow ourselves to make mistakes, and surrender to the Lord all those temptations to enter into self-debasement.  

Think about the parable of the prodigal son or lost son in Luke 15.   The younger son admitted his faults and turned to the Father for forgiveness.  Yet, the older son held onto his righteousness and didn't encounter forgiveness, at least in the story.  To deeply accept the forgiveness of the Father the younger son needed to forgive himself too.  The older son stood by and watched his younger brother and Father interact.  How do you think the older son felt about himself?  What about the younger son?  

When we are hard on ourselves how do you think the Father feels.  We are his children and he loves us with a crazy love.  Surely, he mourns the distance that is created between the Father and us when we hold onto unforgiveness of ourselves.  So, the next time you find yourself unable to forgive, think of the Father and what he offers each one of us, especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Why not admit your wrongs and allow yourself to embrace the Father's love, always present even in your shortcomings!