But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, `You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:22-25

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Lots of people crammed the malls and box stores to find the perfect gift for the one they love. We idolize romantic love. We think it is the epitome of human life and yet it too often is false and always fades. God is true love and the greatest gift of God is our forgiveness and freedom in Christ. And yet this greatest gift of love is so rarely employed, so rarely sought and even more rarely honored. Maybe to forgive and be forgiven we must be humble and this is often impossible for the present generation. But God forgives us and simply asks us to live as forgiven and loved. The sign of a true grownup and a long love affair is not the romance but the forgiveness. The willingness to let go in the face of another and to be reconciled. In this we know God and set ourselves free.

I share the following poem, reportedly found by Mother Teresa's bedside, which has been turned into music by the Roches. I have used this in my blog before, but as Valentine's Day approaches, it helps me to remember the truth about love - God's love and our love on this earth. Love is all about forgiveness. Love is all about letting go.

May we all, this day, make our hearts an offering to God, by giving up our notions of being right and instead, forgive those who have hurt us. God will be found in us as we do.


People are often unreasonable, illogical,
and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, People may accuse you
of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some
false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone
could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway

Author unknown

music by Maggie and Suzzy Roche
(The Roches)
People are often unreasonable, illogical,
and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, People may accuse you
of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some
false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone
could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.