TODAY a mighty challenge comes to test the depth and integrity of our love. The call to forgive, to refuse to attach evil to man, is constantly knocking at the door of consciousness. To forgive is the great demand of Love.
It is a rare individual, indeed, who has never been called upon to forgive another, or who has not sought from another forgiveness for himself. And does not every sincere thinker mentally kneel before his heavenly Father in humble petition for forgiveness—the correction or erasure of error? That it is a Christian virtue to forgive, all Christendom agrees, and it prays for forgiveness and recognizes the need for forgiveness in what is named the Lord's Prayer. In her spiritual interpretation of the petition, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," the inspired Leader of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, defines for us the complete and true forgiveness in these words (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 17): "And Love is reflected in love."
A dictionary tells us that to forgive is "to give up resentment or claim to requital on account of an offense or wrong." To surrender all desire to requite or avenge a wrong that has been done to one is the first and shortest step toward true forgiveness. To separate one's thinking from resentment is the next and more difficult step. As long as any trace of resentment or hurt feeling remains, forgiveness has not taken place. To refuse to harbor resentment and self-pity is of vital necessity to the progress of the Christian Scientist, for these phases of erroneous thinking are earth weights that impede the forward way.
