Our natural reaction to injustice is hatred, anger and revenge. If we follow the instinct of revenge, we will end up in more trouble, both for those who revenge and those who are revenged. If we begin to follow the law of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” the whole world will become blind and toothless, as Mahatma Gandhi the Father of the Indian nation, has said.

Acts of anger and revenge may give us temporary satisfaction. But the feeling of hurt will remain in us. Suppressing anger is also not advisable. The real solution is to understand human weakness and sympathize with those who hurt us and forgive them whole heartedly. Forgiveness will release us from hatred and anger. Our Lord had pity even on those who crucified Him and prayed for them as follows, “Father forgive them. For they know not what they do” (St. Lk. 23:24).

Our duty to forgive others is made clear by our Lord in the parable of the unjust servant. “‘Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying: ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him: ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt (St. Matt 18: 23-30)”

St. Paul says “put on then as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness and patience, forgiving one another, and if anyone of you have a complaint against another, forgive each other as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you must forgive” (Col. 3:12, 13). It is good to examine ourselves and see whether our forgiveness is complete and unconditional.

St. Paul speaks of whole-hearted forgiveness. “See that none of you repays evil for evil; but always seek to do good to one another and to all” (I Thess. 5:15). This is an advice given to everyone of us without exception. This also means that we have to forgive everyone in all circumstances. This forgiveness is not only avoiding acts of revenge, but also continuing to do deeds of love, at all times.

Let me tell an example of real forgiveness. A few years ago a person bought a plot of land in Kangazha near Kottayam in India. There was no way to go to that place. He had to go through the compound of the adjacent neighbor. The neighbor did not allow him to make a way through his compound. Then it so happened that the son of the neighbor fell ill and was in a critical condition. The father of the boy took the boy to the Kangazha hospital. It was noon time and the doctors had gone for lunch. There was only a junior doctor in the emergency room. The father of the boy was in a helpless condition. He did not know what to do. Now the man, who was refused a way, was there for some purpose. Finding the precarious condition of the boy, he brought down a senior doctor he had known. Thus the boy was saved. We can imagine how thankful the boy’s father was for the timely help. Straightway he promised to give a way through his compound. See the result of forgiveness!

St. Paul says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). We have to fill the world with love through our love expressed in forgiveness and make the world a heaven.

Generally speaking, we don’t have jealousy with our dear ones. We love them and consider their success as our own and rejoice with them. We also encourage them to have more success. St. Paul says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15). When we rejoice with those who rejoice and encourage them, their joy will be increased and their work will have more progress. Naturally they will become our friends.

An extreme case of jealousy we find in King Saul of the Old Testament. When the women gave more praise to David than to Saul, Saul became jealous of David. “And they were coming home when David returned from slaying the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing to meet King Saul with timbrels, with songs of joy and with instruments of music, and the women sang to one another as they made merry: Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands” (I Sam. 18: 6-7). Hearing this Saul became jealous and tried to kill David.

We find this kind of jealousy in many places. Those who have the least of jealousy refuse to appreciate and support the good works of others. The world is suffering much due to jealousy. It is our duty to help people to realize the folly of jealousy and to love one another.

An example for the lack of jealousy and full appreciation is Jonathan the son of Saul. Jonathan identified himself completely with David and loved him as his own soul. “Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David; and his armor and even his sword, and his bow and his girdle” (I Sam. 18: 3-4). As a result Jonathan became the best friend of David.

We must follow the example of Jonathan and identify ourselves with people and help them and encourage them in their endeavors. Thus there will be more progress in the good works of people and people will become our friends. Thus we can make this world a heaven.

The power to forgive sins and the readiness to appreciate the goodness of people is to be received from our Lord. Our Lord said, “I am the vine you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing” (St. Jn 15:5). Our Lord renews His indwelling in us and strengthens us when we receive Holy Qurbana, dedicating ourselves whole heartedly. Our Lord said, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him” (St. Jn. 6:56). Again our Lord said that He will abide in us when we obey His commandments, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him (St. Jn. 14:23).

Thus we can make this world a heaven through the love expressed in forgiveness and appreciation, by the grace of God.