a bitter pill to swallow?
“See to it that no man falls away from the grace of God; that no bitter root springs up through which many may become defiled.” —Hebrews 12:15
There is bitterness, and then there is something worse than bitterness, that is, a “bitter root.” A bitter root springs up and produces such evils as hatred, racism, unforgiveness, resentment, deception, violence, and cruelty. Because a bitter root is so productive of things which are destructive, it defiles many (Heb 12:15). This in turn can contribute to people choosing to fall “away from the grace of God” (Heb 12:15).
Since a root of bitterness is so dangerous and potentially damning, we must avoid bitterness so that there is no chance of it ever becoming rooted. We can avoid bitterness by accepting God’s grace to forgive all those who have sinned against us in any way. Even if we have contaminated ourselves with bitterness, we can stop bitterness from being rooted by letting God work the miracle of forgiveness in our lives. If we have already allowed bitterness to take root in our lives, we must forgive so that we uproot bitterness before it produces even more evil. Where there is forgiveness, bitterness cannot exist.
Therefore, forgive everyone for every wrong committed against you. Then you will immediately be free from the cancer of bitterness.
Prayer: Father, may I avoid bitterness “like the plague.”
Promise: “Strive for peace with all men, and for that holiness without which no one can see the Lord.” —Heb 12:14
Praise: St. Agatha, a young adult, dedicated herself to Jesus as a consecrated virgin. Multiple times she endured brutal torture as punishments from the Roman judge, yet she remained faithful to Jesus and would not seek relief. She died a martyr, trusting fully in the love of Christ.
Reference:
Rescript: "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from February 1, 2025, through March 31, 2025. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio May 22, 2024"
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.