I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.
“I AM SORRY,†three little words that have an almost incredible potential for transformation and yet these three little words do not always roll very easily off the human tongue. Because of this, these three little words too often go unsaid, and as a result, no transformation takes place. In fact, transformation is inhibited and, in its absence, wounds fester, grudges grow, proverbial mountains grow out of mole hills, revenge is plotted, and alienation grows. “I AM SORRY†is a difficult language to master and fluency comes only to the humble, the simple, the truthful, and the strong. “I AM SORRY†is a challenge because these words admit of imperfection and none of us wants to look very long into that “tell-all†mirror. “I AM SORRY†admits of weakness and failure; it says I am capable of and culpable for wrong doing, for hurting another person’s feelings, sensibilities, reputation, good name, prospects at happiness. “I AM SORRY†affirms that I am a work in progress and there is much work to be done. “I AM SORRY†chokes in the throat of those who dare to say it because these words, in effect, say I am in need. “I AM SORRY†needs time to grow, to become better, truer, freer, fuller, holier and more whole.
However difficult these words may be to speak and to mean them truthfully as they are spoken. “I AM SORRY†has the capacity to open up a virtual floodgate of goodness and blessing. This is true because acknowledgement brings atonement and atonement ends alienation and once alienation is ended, a new and/or renewed bond can begin to grow again. These bonds that grow between us make us who we are, sustain us in need; makes our grief bearable and our joys even more pronounced. These bonds form an unassailable network that connect us one to the other in a communion that can survive any assault.
- Father Kaniki
