The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.
-- William Blake
An odd juxtaposition of images -- glory, conquering, forgiveness -- but a not so subtle irony none-the-less. I remember a rather stunning thought from Blue Like Jazz that such 'conquering' is even more by asking for forgiveness than simply granting it.
Forgiveness carries a lot of assumptions. Things like the need to be honest, the willingness to seek out another person with my vulnerability, the reality that I need it as badly as any one else. And, of course, these are among nearly impossible tasks without having realized that I, myself, have been forgiven in very specific and personal ways. The act is a profound one, a deeply human one, a powerful one. One that truly dismantles (conquers) so many of the false constructs we have built in our lives.
When is the last time I forgave someone...or asked for forgiveness?
