"Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace" is Pope Francis' theme for the World Day of Peace, today, Jan. 1, 2025. His plea is for a year blessed by forgiveness — forgiveness between nations, forgiveness between individuals. His appeal is a challenge and an opportunity not just to give and receive forgiveness, but to better understand what forgiveness is — and what it is not.
His timing couldn't have been better, since forgiveness is increasingly questioned as a therapeutic goal and a Christian aspiration. In 2023, Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee Jesuit Fr. Greg Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries, won awards for his compellingly titled book Forgive Everyone Everything. At the same time, other voices have begged to differ. Forgiveness isn't meant for everyone, they insist, and not everything can or should be forgiven.
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