‘Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.’ (Mark 11: 25)

The Greek for forgive is aphiemi. This is to send away, to give up, to let go.

A wrong has been done. I have been abused, exploited, neglected, or worse.

The translater offers "if you have anything against anyone...", which is often my response. I am preoccupied by the offender. I seek redress. I may seek vindication. I want the wrong set right.

But the Greek can easily be, "if you are tightly holding something..."

Read in this way, forgiveness is less focused on the other and much more focused on me.

Whenever you stand praying, if you are tightly holding something, let go; so that your Father in heaven may also let go of when you have fallen.

Open your hands. Open your heart. We are to open ourselves to the love of God.

Above is Open Path I by Lynne Taetzsch.