Article October 11, 1993 ISSUE

Giving up the earth-weight of anger

The light of Christly prayer can heal lingering animosity, once and for all.

Neville Gunnis

Some years ago my wife and I were visiting Great Britain, enjoying the rich heritage of an old country where we felt comfortable. One day in a restaurant I noticed a young German couple at the next table, having an animated conversation in their own language. Suddenly, feelings from my World War II experiences rose up in me. And although the couple were two generations removed from the war, I found myself feeling resentment toward them for wartime events in which they had no part.

The incident alerted me to an important question: How does animosity continue over the years to haunt new generations, and how can it be healed? I thought a lot about this issue in the years that followed, until I was finally able to see through the mesmerism of resentment that had gripped me at that moment.

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