Forgiveness

Matthew 6:12 – Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. (KJV)

It was delightful to see the Canada's Governor-General confer the Order of Canada on Nelson Mandela last September, and to hear Prime Minister Chretien's comment to Toronto students in the Skydome that they would one day tell their grand-children that they had actually heard Mandela speak.

Most of us can barely relate to how this man could spend thirty years in prison, standing firm in suffering, and then simply forgive his enemies when he came into power.

May we continue to be blessed with politicians who choose to accept the high calling of public office and remind us of our deep spiritual nature.

Here is a short excerpt from Mandela's two-hour-long 1994 Presidential Inauguration Speech:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?"
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There's nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us – it's in everyone!
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Prayer: O great I Am, thank you for setting before us the glorious examples of so many faithful men and women. May we remember to model our own lives after them, in those moments when we, too, are called to stand up for love and truth. Amen.