FAQ By Youth
Q. Does forgiving someone imply forgetting the offense done?
Forgiveness is an active response from the one who is being offended. It is
not as an easy task as we think. Even the apostles of Jesus were faced with
the same problem. In fact, Peter himself approached the Lord asking him the
number of times one needs to forgive. Jesus knew what was in his heart and
gave an answer that really challenged him and the rest of the apostles. In
short what Jesus wanted his disciples to do was to forgive unconditionally.
Who will have the patience to count seventy times seven to begin retaliation?
Another occasion, Jesus taught the disciples to pray and insisted the need to
forgive others to experience the forgiveness of God himself (Mt.6:14-15).
In us there is a tendency to keep a detailed record of all the offences and hurts
we have received. We mention them with all the details when we get an op-
portunity. We may declare that we had forgiven that but the present one can-
not be tolerated. In reality we haven’t forgiven even the first one. That is the
clear reason we bring it out when an opportunity come along. As St. Paul re-
minds us in 1cor:12:6 love never keeps a record of wrongs. In other words
true forgiveness stemming out from true love never keeps the offence done.
Though we may not forget the offences done to us, we make a personal deci-
sion to forgive.
Last Drop
Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime,
Therefore, we are saved by hope.
Nothing true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immedi-
ate context of history;
Therefore, we are saved by faith.
Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone.
Therefore, we are saved by love.
No virtuous act is quite a virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or
foe as from our own;
Therefore, we are saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness.
Reinhold Niebuhr
NB: Send your questions, comments or feedback to jamboyouth@yahoo.co.uk
For further information and back issues of Jambo You(th) please check on our
website: www.jamboyouth.multiply.com
www.jamboyouth.multiply.com Jambo You(th) 2006
Don Bosco Utume November 26, Sunday: Issue 11
• Jambo You(th) is a weekly news letter aimed at helping the Youth in molding their daily
lives in Christ.
• Our vision consists in two phrases: ‘GOOD CHRISTIANS’ and ‘HONEST CITI-
ZENS.’ Features
Pep-up : Stories for reflection, food for thought
Young in the Bible : An Unforgiving Son
Facts of life : Case Studies
Site Seeing : Introduction to a new Website
Questions : FAQ by Youth
Last Drop : Forgiveness
True Forgiveness!
One Yogi (a renowned seeker of spirituality) was one day having a bath on
the edge of a swollen river which had flooded. It so happened that because of
the flood one scorpion happened to float by. On seeing the plight of the scor-
pion that it might die, the Yogi picked it up in his hand but immediately had
to do away for the scorpion gave a piercing poisonous sting. Unmindful of
the sting the Yogi again picked up the scorpion and again the scorpion stung
his hand. This happened thrice. One passerby who was aware of the spiritual
accomplishments of the Yogi could not contain himself and coming near to
the Yogi enquired from him why he was trying to help the nasty scorpion.
The reply by the Yogi made the onlooker flabbergasted. It was not to be be-
lieved for the Yogi had replied, "when this poor scorpion (a much lower level
of species on the plane of evolution) is not able to let go of his habit of sting-
ing one, how could the Yogi let go of his habit of helping one. What a great
practitioner of compassion and forgiveness this Indian Yogi was. In spite of
being stung thrice, he was able to practice forgiveness owing to the feeling of
compassion within. This is how forgiveness can be truly defined.
Lesson: A true practitioner of forgiveness never thinks of the results of the
acts by the other but remains concentrated on the end goal of his life... al-
ways and ever! This helps one develop the power of forgiveness... true com-
passion to be practiced in daily life.
www.jamboyouth.multiply.com Jambo You(th) 2006
Editors: Anastasio Sdb & Shyjan Sdb
 Young and the Bible
Unforgiving Son
“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came he heard
the music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He
replied, ‘your brother has come and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he
has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he [elder son] became angry and refused to
go in. His father came out and started to plead with him. But he answered his father,
‘listen, for all these years I have been working like a slave for you; and I have never
disobeyed your command…” (Lk. 15:25-32)
Dear young people, the above parable may reflect our own story. This young man
could not forgive his younger brother. He was not ready to accept him back. Surely,
he had his reasons for doing so. We too have our
reasons when we fail to forgive others. When we
fail to forgive others, we carry the burden of unfor-
giveness within us. We become bitter, restless and
sometimes stressed. We feel bad within ourselves.
Just like the elder son in the parable, we cut our-
selves from others. We are unable to celebrate life
with others. In short, forgiveness brings peace into
our life.
Let us look back into our lives and ask ourselves:
• In what way does this parable resemble my life?
• Do I have someone that I have not forgiven or decided not to forgive?
Recall some moments in your life when you felt so hurt, offended and misused. Does
this ‘hurt’ still disturb you?
Finally:
Pray ‘our Lords Prayer’ and as you say the words,
‘forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who tres-
pass against us…’ recall the people whom you find
difficult to forgive… [May be your friends, family
members, your father, your mother or even yourself].
Ask the Lord to give you the Grace and the courage to
forgive. With courageous faith pronounce these words:
I FORGIVE!
Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names. John F. Kennedy
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Case Studies
Would you forgive?
Below are two case studies about young people who went through very tempting mo-
ments in their lives. As you go through each case study, try to imagine that you share
the same situation with this young person. The names have been changed.
Muthoni comes from a middle class family. She has just completed her form four this
year and waits eagerly to get good results. Throughout her life, she has been very
enthusiastic about her family. She has always loved and respected her parents. She
had very hopeful dreams about her future life. Recently she has discovered a very sad
story [according to her] about her life. Her father is not the real father. He is only a
step-father. When Muthoni learnt this fact, she was very angry not only with her
step- father, but also with her mother for not revealing this issue to her. She finds
difficult to forgive her parents. She particularly hates her step-father who has been
‘pretending’ to be her real father.
“I have always thought I will become a lawyer.” She exclaims bitterly! “All my fu-
ture dreams are gone! O God, curse be the day I was born. I will never forgive Job!”
Jane has just been tested HIV positive. Job, who has been her boy friend, has never
been open to Jane. He has been living with the virus for the last 6 years. Therefore,
he has maliciously infected Jane with the fatal virus. When Jane visited the counselor
last week, he insisted that she needs to forgive Job for his offense. But Jane remains
with her position, ‘I will never forgive him.’
Site Seeing
A site for Forgiveness
www.radicalforgiveness.com
This site is founded by Colin and Joann Tipping in 1998, the Institute for Radical
Forgiveness Therapy and Coaching is a registered corporation in the State of Geor-
gia, USA. The Institute provides a variety of workshops and online programs, and
offers training and certification in Radical Forgiveness Therapy and Coaching for
both existing professionals and people without prior qualifications. Their goal is to
train as many people as possible to be able to articulate the principles of Radical
Forgiveness to others in a simple and clear way so that more and more people have
the opportunity to raise their vibration and shift their consciousness towards an
alignment with spiritual principle.
Wrongs are often forgiven, but contempt never is. Our pride remembers it forever.
www.jamboyouth.multiply.com Jambo You(th) 2006