Two South African brothers from a small village went to a private school. One was successful, strong, smart; other was plain and a hunchback, but had a beautiful voice. During initiations the students forced the plain one to sing by threatening to drown him. When he sang so beautifully in his fear, they became all the more abusive and tore off his shirt to reveal his never-before- seen hunchback. Older brother knew what was going on but did not help. He betrayed his brother by refusing to go out to him in love when he was being abused.
The brother was crushed in spirit and never sang again. Older brother went to Palestine in WWII, was wounded, had a dream. He saw himself as Judas in the circle of disciples around Christ. “I am Judas; I had a brother once, and I betrayed him,” he said. “Go to your brother,” Christ replied.
He made the difficult journey, confessed to his brother, both cried. As he walked away he heard the song of his brother in the garden, as he had not heard him sing since childhood.
Jesus tells us to go and be reconciled with our brother. This is the true meaning of forgiveness, not inner peace or a clean conscience. These are self-centered goals. We must care for the pain in the other person. Until relationships are restored, forgiveness is not really achieved.
Authentic forgiveness is the mutual recognition that repentance is genuine and right relationships are achieved.