When we say the prayer “Our Father” every morning and every evening, we say “and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. But we don’t forgive, we ask instead for our condemnation. Because it is as if we said “God, if I forgive, You forgive me; but if I don’t forgive, You shall not forgive me either!” Don’t you realise that we ask for our own condemnation if we don’t forgive? When we say “and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive…” we ask out condemnation because we don’t know how to forgive. Our heart is inclined towards evil and the enemy builds his nest into our soul so that we don’t love our God, our brother and we say “Don’t forgive me for I don’t forgive!”

Have faith, be kind and forgive! I have always said that living together is hard. You need to know how to obtain forgiveness. It is easier to forgive than to ask for forgiveness because it gives you a feeling of superiority. But to ask for forgiveness is a proof of humbleness, and God wants us to be humble. When you did something wrong, ask for forgiveness.

We live in a community, in a family, in groups, in society and in institutions. How can we solve the problem of conflicts? The answer is, by knowing that you need to forgive and be forgiven. Thus we shall live in peace, in harmony and have true faith. That harmony that Jesus tried to bring to the world through His Church. Church is the beginning of Hid Kingdom.

(Translation from Părintele Cheorghe Calciu, Cuvinte vii, ediţie îngrijită la Mănăstirea Diaconeşti, Editura Bonifaciu, 2009, p. 40)