Daily Thought For May 14, 2014
True Charity & Forgiveness
True charity neither keeps account of the necessary services it renders all the time, nor takes note of the effronteries it has to put up with. 'Omnia suffert' ― it endures all things.
If we lack humility we will tend to draw up our list of small grudges which, despite being small, take away our peace with God, waste a lot of energy and make us incapable of undertaking the great plans Our Lord has in mind each day for those close to him. The heart of the humble person is set on God and is thus filled with joy, becoming, as it were, less vulnerable. It doesn't matter to him what people say or might have said. He forgets immediately, and doesn't give too much consideration to the humiliations which every man or woman experiences in one way or another in the course of their daily life.
Such simplicity and humility, not getting complicated when pride suggests our reputation is being maligned, leaving aside possible grudges, gives us the ability to begin again when we have been cowardly or have failed. We see Mark take up his work immediately again with Barnabas after the cowardice and fatigue of the first journey - ready this time to be unconditionally faithful.
The humble person finds it easy to be fraternal with others and so looks for ways to relate to those around him. He restores friendship if it has been for any reason broken or has cooled off, and is always ready to lend a brotherly hand and be helped himself. The relationships necessary for social life are formed in this way. In closeness there is mutual support and on this charity is built ... If I then fail in putting up with your character and you don't want to bear with mine, how can charity grow between us since patience does not unite us in mutual love? As we have said, in a building each stone is both supportive and a support.
from In Conversation with God by Francis Fernandez Volume II pp.450-451