How do we forgive when we are wounded? How do we bear the burdens of others' shortcomings, the sting of offense, the pain of insult, and the injustice of slander? How do we master our anger when it surges within us? And why is it so difficult to forgive others-when, in truth, it is the only path to receiving forgiveness from God? The answer to these deep human struggles lies not in mere human wisdom but in the divine wisdom that passed down through the Church. Among the many holy voices that have illuminated this path, few shine as brightly as that of St. John Chrysostom (347-407 A.D.), the golden-mouthed doctor of the Church.
His eloquence was not just of words, but of truth-truth that pierces the heart and leads it toward God. In his profound homilies, we find not only guidance, but healing, not only exhortation, but the very balm of mercy. This volume, How to Forgive the Offense, presents a curated collection of his teachings on forgiveness-words forged in prayer, seasoned with divine insight, and saturated with the spirit of Christ. Here, St. John does not simply instruct us to forgive; he draws us into the mystery of divine compassion, showing that to forgive is to become like Christ, who from the Cross cried out, "Father, forgive them."
With God's grace and through the labor of Rev. Dn. Gevork Gevorkian, this book is offered as a spiritual treasury for all who seek to live not merely as believers in Christ but as imitators of His mercy. For forgiveness is not a suggestion-it is the path. Without it, we remain chained by bitterness and unable to taste the freedom of divine love. But with it, we become whole-body, soul, and spirit-and bear witness to the life of the Gospel. May these pages lead the reader to a place of inner peace, where the wounds of the heart are healed, and the soul is set free by the power of forgiveness.