There was a Jew who in his most painful moment of suffering cried out: "Forgive them, because they
do not know what they are doing." These words were from a Jew who taught: "Love your enemies and pray for them who despitefully
use you." He set himself free by forgiving his tormentors. What strength and courage he did manifest in such an awesome moment
of dying.
The other day, I was thinking. How many surviving Jews of the holocaust have come to a moment in their lives when they
forgave Hitler and the German people for what they did to them through the holocaust. I wondered how many Jews and their descendants
are still prisoners, in their minds, of the holocaust? Do they still suffer the pain, from which they can only be set free
through forgiveness?
It is through the pain of remembrance of what is felt toward Hitler and the German people that keeps the suffering perpetually
forever. Grieving is a process of letting go. To forgive is primarily for the forgiver to enable him to set himself free from
the ongoing video experience of the post traumatic experience.
Forgiveness is the wake up call from the nightmare of the suffering and humiliation of the holocaust. It is important,
never to forget the historical incident of the holocaust, but without the recall of the pain and the suffering.
Forgiveness brings triumph and victory over the enemy. It frees the mind from enslavement of the past. It sets the spirit
free so the enemy can have no secret moments of feeling any psychotic moments of victory in their minds as the tormentors.
With forgiveness comes the freedom from sadness, depression, hopelessness and fear. Those who are forgiven, must stand,
bearing their own guilt - puzzled that they - in no way - have a hold over those whom they so unmercifully persecuted.
Forgiveness brings freedom - from ones own limitations - to think beyond the holocaust. It is obvious that the experience
of forgiving is a very personal matter, as well as, it is also a collective matter of one people toward another people.
Somehow, that Jew on the cross, is an icon of forgiveness. Through forgiveness, he took away all the guile of his tormentors.
Is there someone you need to forgive today? If that man on the cross, being a Jew could forgive, then anyone has the same
opportunity.
(C)2004 Fred M. Fariss All Rights Reserved
