Forgiveness, Spring 1, 2024
Our St. Wulstan’s value for Spring 1, 2024 is Forgiveness. We are thinking about how everyone can make mistakes. Sometimes our mistakes hurt others and then we need to say sorry and be able to forgive that person.
Everyone makes mistakes, it’s part of being human. Sometimes our mistakes hurt someone else, we can also be hurt ourselves. When this happens we need to forgive, to accept an apology that is really meant. When we forgive we are able to move forward and have a fresh start.
Forgiving others is always hard to do when you are still feeling hurt. It takes courage - not just a warm, fuzzy feeling - to decide to forgive someone. In fact, forgiving someone shows strength of character, not weakness. By forgiving someone, you are not saying that what the other person did is okay; but rather, that you have decided not to hold it against them and ‘let it go’.
In the Lord’s Prayer we ask God to forgive us our sins or trespasses as we forgive those who sin against us. What a thing to ask! We are saying we wish God to treat us in the same way we treat other people! Forgiveness is the means by which damaged relationships are restored. It is an act of the will, motivated by love. Children and adults in school are helped to acknowledge that we all make mistakes and we all need forgiveness from God and each other.
We should reflect on the following questions:
- How are children and adults within the school community helped to acknowledge that we all make mistakes and we all need forgiveness from God and each other?
- How does the school help all members of the community to make amends for their mistakes?
- How does the school celebrate the idea that God’s love is so great that forgiveness is always possible?
- How does the school foster the idea that forgiveness and acceptance of all builds the life of the school community?
Each week we will give a special ‘Forgiveness ’ candle to those children who demonstrate good values and place their names on our St. Wulstan’s Values Tree.
Ephesians 4 v32: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
"If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive." – Mother Teresa
Each week we will give a special ‘Forgiveness ’ candle and certificate to those children who demonstrate good values and place their names on our St. Wulstan’s Values Tree.
We hope your family will find these accompanying ideas helpful to explore together click here
Please do remember, if you would like to share how your child shows a value at home, please do download a Values Feather and tell us all about it.