I try to give the girls an understanding of the Sacraments when I teach them about the Eucharist in Divinity. The Eucharist is the greatest gift that Jesus gave us - the gift of himself. The Eucharist is a gift that takes a whole lifetime to open; it is a gift that requires a response from us.

The questions the girls ask in class are of equal interest to me. Recently, we were discussing penitence – repentance and forgiveness. One of the girls asked, ‘What if you are not ready to forgive?’ The way the question is phrased is worth considering. The girl is not saying I am not going to forgive you, but rather, I cannot forgive you just now. It will take time for me to forgive, or I am struggling to forgive.

It was not the first time this question was raised in Divinity. My response is always the same: we need to think about the hurt our words cause in relation to a physical injury. Physical injuries take time to heal, and the healing can involve many doctors. Because the hurt caused by our words is not always visible, we forget that it will take time to heal.

Patience is a virtue, that will serve us well in any journey of healing.

REVD RAKGADI KHOBO
CHAPLAIN