Article October 30, 1948 Issue

TRUE FORGIVENESS

ARLENE SHULL MAHONE

Forgiveness is a tender flower with roots embedded deep in the very heart of Love. Its fragrance permeates human relationships; its gentle blossoms unfold midst storms of hate and injustice, misunderstanding and envy. Forgiveness indeed heals all hurt or offense by revealing the oneness and allness of divine Love, in which there is nothing to forgive.

With rare insight Mary Baker Eddy writes in her Message to The Mother Church for 1902 (p. 19), "The Christian Scientist cherishes no resentment; he knows that would harm him more than all the malice of his foes." Then she tenderly admonishes: "Brethren, even as Jesus forgave, forgive thou. I say it with joy,—no person can commit an offense against me that I cannot forgive." Booker T. Washington said, "I will allow no man to drag me down so low as to make me hate him."

In studying the word "forgive," we find that one definition is to absolve; and to absolve is to set free. Thought needs to be set free from the belief that it has something to forgive. Our own false concept that man is less than the image and likeness of God needs to be given up and replaced by the Christ, Truth. We must deny identity to evil and acknowledge only the creation of Love, which includes God's perfect, lovable man.

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