Prayer of Forgiveness

Photo by: Nz Ecochick

Extracts from Aleph by Paulo Coelho (p155 - 157)

Hilial is speaking softly, but the acoustics in the church are so perfect that everything she says seems to reach every corner.

"I forgive the tears I was made to shed,
I forgive the pain and the disappointments,
I forgive the betrayals and lies,
I forgive the slanders and intrigues,
I forgive the hatred and the persecution,
I forgive the blows that hurt me,
I forgive the wrecked dreams,
I forgive the stillborn hopes,
I forgive the hostility and jealousy,
I forgive the indifference and ill will,
I forgive the injustices carried out by others in the name of justice,
I forgive the anger and the cruelty,
I forgive the neglect and contempt,
I forgive the world and all its evils.”

She closes her eyes again and raises her face heavenward.

“I also forgive myself.  May the misfortunes of the past no longer way on my heart.  Instead of pain and resentment, I choose understanding and compassion.  Instead of rebellion, I choose the music from my violin.  Instead of grief, I choose forgetting.  Instead of vengeance, I choose victory."

"I will be capable of loving, regardless of whether I am loved in return,
of giving, even when I have nothing,
of working happily, even in the  midst of difficulties,
Of holding out my hand, even when I feel utterly alone and abandoned,
Of drying my tears, even while I weep,
Of believing, even when no one believes in me."