If you are 50 years old and up, we all know that it is a different world, a restless world. There are wars and civil unrest; there is poverty and unequal distribution of wealth; there are so many injustices in the world; and the morals of people have changed – the right is made wrong and the wrong made right. Evil doers are very bold.

This Sunday, Pentecost, we celebrate the birthday of the Church. Our Church may be celebrating Her birthday in the worst of times, but it can only be the best of times. How can it be the best of times? Let us remember that if there is so much restlessness in the world today, it only means that there is so much restlessness in the hearts of the people. That is why one of first things that Christ gives in the Gospel is PEACE. This peace can only be realized when we FORGIVE.

Three things about Peace and Forgiveness.

• First, when we forgive, we are at peace because we trust God. With forgiveness, we take away the desire for revenge because we trust God. “Lord, what happened to me is very painful, but I forego revenge because we know that you know what is best.” “We know how you will deal with the situation.”
• Second, when we forgive, we are at peace we move on. With forgiveness, we remove the temptation of blaming someone for our pain and always dwelling in the past. The past is gone and the only time we have is now. Hence when we forgive we can live in the present and that gives us peace.
• Third, when we forgive, we are able to trust and love again. With forgiveness comes the acceptance that each person is different. Hence there will always be the ones who will hurt us intentionally or unintentionally. But when we forgive, we create deep meaningful relationships with the people that matter. That gives us both joy and peace.

We thank God for the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We pray that on her birthday that she may continue to be bold in spreading the Good News. We also pray for a world at peace. This can only happen if we continue to live out the good news in our lives; most especially forgiveness.