THAT’S right. When we feel vindicated
of some
misunderstanding, mistreatment or false accusation, we should avoid
being pulled down by the strong urge of vindictiveness. Let’s not
spoil the grace of vindication by replacing it with the desire to make
revenge.
Let’s pay attention to what St. Paul said in his Letter to
the Romans:
“Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is
noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends upon you,
live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave
it to the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will
repay, says the Lord.’” (12,17-19)
In the first place, we should be ready to face and suffer
some kind of misunderstanding and mistreatment in this life. We should
consider this as a given. Our human condition, already with its
limitations and aggravated by its woundedness, can easily give rise to
these possibilities. We should just be sport about them, and not allow
ourselves to be dominated by too much worry and hurt feelings because
of them.
We should not be surprised by this phenomenon. Between our limitations
with respect to making ourselves understood and for others to
understand us, an ocean of possible instances of misunderstanding and
mistreatment can occur.
This is not to mention that the world today is in a very
toxic condition that easily lends itself to misunderstandings among
ourselves. The rapid developments, considered as progress, is actually
creating a Tower-of-Babel effect where people, communities and
societies are increasingly fragmented instead of being more united,
giving rise to all forms of animosities and discord.
People are hardening in their biases, preferences and
peculiarities, in their perceptions, views and opinions, and even in
their core beliefs, without the corresponding effort to understand
those with different positions.
In the face of all this, we should make an effort to be
magnanimous always. Let’s play the game of charity and not that of our
emotions and worldly reasonings. Magnanimity pays always even if its
blessings and benefits escape merely human standards.
Without magnanimity, we easily become emotional, that is,
we think with our emotions rather than with reason, and much less,
with our faith, hope and charity. We caricaturize the positions of
opponents while canonizing ours.
Without magnanimity, we fail to understand why others
think the way they do. There’s always some reason, perhaps flimsy to
us but very convincing to them, as to why they think the way they do.
But we tend to make our own views the absolute truth.
In short, without magnanimity, we become rigid,
short-sighted and narrow-minded, unable to go through the humane
process of analyzing and clarifying issues. Obviously, it would be
difficult for us to be tactful and courteous in the discussions and
argumentations.
Let’s be sport and magnanimous. We should think well of
the others no matter how different and even in conflict our views may
be. The ideal is that while we can have different and even conflicting
views, we manage to be friendly with everyone. We should have no
enemies.
misunderstanding, mistreatment or false accusation, we should avoid
being pulled down by the strong urge of vindictiveness. Let’s not
spoil the grace of vindication by replacing it with the desire to make
revenge.
Let’s pay attention to what St. Paul said in his Letter to
the Romans:
“Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is
noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends upon you,
live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave
it to the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will
repay, says the Lord.’” (12,17-19)
In the first place, we should be ready to face and suffer
some kind of misunderstanding and mistreatment in this life. We should
consider this as a given. Our human condition, already with its
limitations and aggravated by its woundedness, can easily give rise to
these possibilities. We should just be sport about them, and not allow
ourselves to be dominated by too much worry and hurt feelings because
of them.
We should not be surprised by this phenomenon. Between our limitations
with respect to making ourselves understood and for others to
understand us, an ocean of possible instances of misunderstanding and
mistreatment can occur.
This is not to mention that the world today is in a very
toxic condition that easily lends itself to misunderstandings among
ourselves. The rapid developments, considered as progress, is actually
creating a Tower-of-Babel effect where people, communities and
societies are increasingly fragmented instead of being more united,
giving rise to all forms of animosities and discord.
People are hardening in their biases, preferences and
peculiarities, in their perceptions, views and opinions, and even in
their core beliefs, without the corresponding effort to understand
those with different positions.
In the face of all this, we should make an effort to be
magnanimous always. Let’s play the game of charity and not that of our
emotions and worldly reasonings. Magnanimity pays always even if its
blessings and benefits escape merely human standards.
Without magnanimity, we easily become emotional, that is,
we think with our emotions rather than with reason, and much less,
with our faith, hope and charity. We caricaturize the positions of
opponents while canonizing ours.
Without magnanimity, we fail to understand why others
think the way they do. There’s always some reason, perhaps flimsy to
us but very convincing to them, as to why they think the way they do.
But we tend to make our own views the absolute truth.
In short, without magnanimity, we become rigid,
short-sighted and narrow-minded, unable to go through the humane
process of analyzing and clarifying issues. Obviously, it would be
difficult for us to be tactful and courteous in the discussions and
argumentations.
Let’s be sport and magnanimous. We should think well of
the others no matter how different and even in conflict our views may
be. The ideal is that while we can have different and even conflicting
views, we manage to be friendly with everyone. We should have no
enemies.
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