Quotes about Forgiveness

It wouldn't be worth going on." The words caught in her throat, and tears sprang to her eyes. "I know it all sounds far-fetched. I've thought that too. That my mistakes … and there are an awful lot of them … couldn't possibly be erased clean. That Jesus couldn't possibly forgive them. But I think that's the whole point of why he came.

I've said this before, Lord, but I'm so sorry for all the stupid choices I've made. I want to start over, with your guidance. I can't afford to make mistakes now. Will you turn up the volume on your voice, and turn mine down? Will you give me that wisdom you promised if we ask?

Reconciliation can also be with your own self. If you don't reconcile with yourself, happiness with another person is impossible.

Sometimes our parents are full of love and sometimes they are full of anger. This love and anger comes not only from them, but from all previous generations. When we can see this, we no longer blame our parents for our suffering.

When we're able to love our enemy, that person is no longer our enemy. The idea of "enemy" vanishes and is replaced by the person who is suffering and needs our compassion.

You discover that the main cause of your suffering is the seed of anger in you, because it has been watered too often, by yourself and by other people.

If you can see your mother as a fragile five-year-old girl, then you can forgive her very easily with compassion. The five-year-old girl who was your mother is always alive in her and in you.

Understanding is a gift. The other person may feel understood for the first time. Understanding is the other name of love. If you don't understand, you can't love. If you don't understand your son, you can't love him. If you don't understand your mother, you can't love her. To offer understanding means to offer love. Without understanding, the more we love, the more we make ourselves and others suffer.

To "love our enemy" is impossible, because the moment we love him, he is no longer our enemy.

Compassion doesn't mean that you have to love that person who's so difficult. But if you stop and look deeper, you'll see that person's difficulties. If you can accept him, then you can love him.

When you begin to see that your enemy is suffering, that is the beginning of insight. When you see in yourself the wish that the other person stop suffering, that is a sign of real love.

With understanding and compassion, you will be able to heal the wounds in your heart, and the wounds in the world.