Forgiveness

One of the most exalted descriptions of forgiveness that I have ever read came from a Russian bishop who was sentenced to death by communist authorities in Russia. His last prayer for his executioners was this: 'Heavenly Father, I offer up for the sins of these men and my own sins, the death of your Son. But I also forgive my executioners as you forgive me. And so on judgment day, when these men stand before you, the angels will ask, 'What charge is brought against these men?' There will be no one to charge them with guilt. They are already forgiven. Thomas More at his death said something similar. There were a couple of fallen priests who came to see him, and he said, 'I will ask the good Lord to forgive you, and then you will not be accused, but we will all meet very merrily in heaven.'