It is freeing to become aware that we do not have to be victims of our past and can learn new ways of responding. Forgiveness is love practiced among people who love poorly. It sets us free without wanting anything in return.

Through discipline, discipline is the other side of discipleship. If you want to follow Jesus, you have to have discipline.

Compassion can never coexist with judgement because judgement creates the distance, the distinction, which prevents us from really being with the other.

The gospel word of the day can become like a painting on the walls. of your inner room, the inner room that is your heart.

As long as we have our stories there is hope.

Let us not underestimate how hard it is to be compassionate. Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it.

Forgiveness means that I continually am willing to forgive the other person for not being God — for not fulfilling all my needs. I, too, must ask forgiveness for not being able to fulfill other people's needs. … The interesting thing is that when you can forgive people for not being God, then you can celebrate that they are a reflection of God.