Definitions HQ

Forgiveness (n.) must ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠carry the seriousness of the Judgment between lovers, not be a rampart each flees to in loving jest.

Forgiveness (n.) from ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the wronged is a court of first resort that cannot be ignored: it cannot justify one eternally, but it is part and parcel of the divine juridical procedure.

Forgiveness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠an empty ceremony between two who do not understand one another — like a contract signed by one who cannot read, or a grant in answer to a petition by one who does not know what was asked.

Forgiveness (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be the finest victory: Caesar complained that Cato's suicide robbed him of it, because he would have forgiven him.

Forgiveness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not forgiveness of one thing: a child thinks it is fundamentally nice "if only that thing yesterday had not occurred," and forgiveness takes that thing away; but if sin is radical — a discovery of repentance — immediacy itself is invalid.

Forgiveness (n.) hides ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠much in a lover: his loyal wife discovers with bruised heart every insult he does not — and, finding no fault in him, only the more how many sinned against him; measure by that what his not-discovering hides.

Forgiveness (n.) takes ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠away what cannot be denied as sin; silence takes nothing away and the extenuating explanation shows this or that was not sin — forgiveness is the most outstanding way love hides sins.

Forgiveness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠faith turned around: as faith believes the invisible in the visible, the lover through forgiveness believes the visible away.

Forgiveness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠rare because faith in its power is rare — "I'd gladly forgive him, but I don't see what good it does." No, it is not seen!

Forgiveness (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be given in a way that increases the guilt instead of diminishing it — when being able to forgive makes one feel self-important.

Forgiveness (n.) puts ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the sin behind one's back — not hidden from the eyes, which means never seen, but behind the back, which means seen; turned lovingly toward the forgiven, one cannot see what lies behind.

Forgiveness (n.) withheld ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠nourishes sin: an unforgiven sin cries for punishment and looks far greater, as a sore looks dreadful until the doctor drains it; a sin that persists is already a new sin.

Forgiveness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠needed most by the one wronged: the wrongdoer needs to be forgiven, but the lover who suffered the wrong needs to forgive — Scripture bids you leave your gift at the altar when you remember your brother has something against you, not you against him.

Forgiveness (n.) asked ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠— “Have you really forgiven me?” — the lover answers with “Do you now really love me?”: asking in the east and answering in the west, yet both say the same thing, until the other breaks himself of asking.

Forgiveness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠forgivingness: the forgiveness you grant is the forgiveness you get — no closer agreement exists between the sky and its image in the sea, exactly as deep as it is high.

Forgiveness (n.) refused ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to others makes believing in your own an illusion — how can you believe in forgiveness when your own life argues that there is none?

Forgiveness (n.) given ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to others may be sold for nothing, but forgiving oneself the least thing is wrong, since one's own righteousness is worse than one's blackest private guilt.

Forgiveness (n.) once ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠believed still makes the believer say, in the wonder of his soul, "it is impossible," the blessed refreshment of one brought near despair by its impossibility.

Forgiveness (n.) from ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠Christ would not tire at the seventieth asking, or seven times seventy; heaven would sooner tire of bearing the stars.

Forgiveness (n.) rarely ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠goes all the way: the forgiven enemy seldom becomes a neighbour, and the wall between you seldom actually comes down.