The recognition of alienation leads to repentance and the need of forgiveness, and that opens us to reconciliation and grace. Than You Think Clare Collela reminded us how the Genesis story tells that before original sin there was original grace or blessing. It is always a transforming experience for once we are touched by grace, we cannot turn back. Carol Gura reminded us that Luke's stories are about reversal and spoke of both personal and social grace. The story of Mary, the outsider, weeping profusely as she washes Jesus' feet, is an image of grace bubbling over.
Reconciliation is about healing, liberation, and forgiveness.
As the lion mother grabs her cub, so God continually grabs our attention, compelling us to reconcile. In seeking inner healing, we bring ourselves to God to be healed, to be set free from our albatrosses and our addictions. We need to forgive ourselves first and then others. The Bible abounds with stories of forgiveness and healing, such as those of Lazarus, the man blind from birth, and others. As we journey with seekers, we make sense of these stories as we reflect on our own life and encourage them to reflect on theirs.