An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
The head of the company sent her a text message, thanking her for shedding light on the issues. She wrote a seven-page letter recounting all the details of the said project and effectively exposing the lies and deception of the other group. But soon she felt she had to say her piece and did so quietly and objectively. One day, one of her colleagues from her former office told her that she was being made the scapegoat of a group whose projects had failed miserably. She said she was doing better and enjoying herself. She resigned and immediately got another job. She focused on her work.Īfter doing her best to help the company she loved, it was time for her to move on. Even then, she could not be fired because the company’s clients loved her and were all praises for her. Upon her return she was immediately offered a major position in the company she worked for.īut her bosses felt threatened and started to clip her wings. She was already quite known as a young, upcoming star. In 1985 she came back from her master’s studies aboard.
(I had asked her permission two days ago if I could share it in today’s reflection and she coyly agreed, so long she is not identified.) In one retreat held over five years ago, somebody told a story of betrayal, anger, pain, healing and forgiveness.
Of course, many of us would admit that the hardest thing to do is to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. It is going beyond what is asked or required of you. Look at the succeeding prescriptions or laws in this Sunday’s Gospel: If someone hits you on the right cheek, offer the left if someone grabs your tunic, offer your cloak as well if you are pressed to accompany someone for a mile, go the extra mile. The lex talionis was actually the starting point of being merciful and forgiving.
Before being ordained as a priest who would hear confessions, we were told to make the penance meaningful, commensurate to the offense and, most important, one that will help the person learn positive values that will overcome the sin or offense.