Forgiveness is a word that terrorises hatred,
Our world is full of random acts of anger,
Expressed in the daily killing and the maiming,
Witnessed by the tears shed daily,
In countless homes, jobs and churches,
We seem hell bent on destroying,
Everything that can be called beautiful,
Our first work is restoring,
Broken pieces,
With forgiveness as the balm.
I see the inflicted pain at work,
In the daily destruction of good souls,
Waking to pain of a world broken by violence,
Words that could be chosen for healing,
Are sacrificed to the brief tingle of revenge,
Why do we hate when love is always a greater reward?
Forgiveness is the comforting word that knows pain itself,
It’s the sound of when we say, “stop!”
It doesn’t allow hope to be quashed,
Seeking the broken pieces,
Scattered in the carnage,
Forgiveness is the bond that holds life together.
Grant me forgiveness today,
Give me the lasting joy of offering hope,
By not joining in the clamour for blood,
Instead make my life a healing balm,
My words a soothing sound,
For the broken lives encountered each day,
My broken heart,
Broken open in plain sight of everyone,
Open to give and receive forgiveness,
Each day a small victory for hope.