TRUE FORGIVENESS

Dr. Joe Morgan was speaking to a crowd near the Pearl Harbor Memorial, recalling the attack of the Japanese in 1941. Joe had been stationed on Ford Island, in the center of Pearl Harbor. At 7:55 AM, he heard planes as the bombing began. The nineteen year-old Texan, who had joined the Navy to "see the world", was confused as machine gun bullets rained down. As he watched his fellow sailors fall, bleeding and dying around him, his confusion turned to a fear and then to hatred as he saw the symbol of the rising sun pass overhead on plane after Japanese plane. 

He first tried to hide, but seeing the other men around him scramble for weapons, he settled into a machine gun nest and managed to shoot down several Japanese planes. Although Joe was a Christian, he found himself hating a nation and its people that in the end, killed 2,403 Americans, including 68 civilians, in the attack on Pearl Harbor.  

Joe and others stayed at their posts all night, in case of another attack, and during that night, Joe said a prayer that changed his life. He promised God that if he survived that war, he would become a preacher. Although he kept his promise to God, he never quite got over his hatred towards the Japanese people. 

In 1954, fresh out of the seminary, Joe became a pastor of the Wailuku Baptist Church in Maui. Two years later, he heard that Mitsuo Fuchida, commander of the naval air forces that led the attack on Pearl Harbor, was coming to Maui, so Joe went to hear his speech. He listened with awe as Fuchida told of his conversion to Christianity. After Fuchida's talk ended, Joe went up and introduced himself to this man who had led the attack that changed his life. Mitsuo Fuchida immediately bowed low to him and said one word in Japanese. "Gomenasai." "I am sorry."

What happened next was as an important moment for Joe as any other in his life. The two former enemies shook hands, and Joe felt all the anger toward the man and his country leave. God replaced the rage of his anger with the peace of His forgiveness. Joe Morgan and Mitsuo Fuchida shook hands, now as brothers in Christ.

Forgiveness is a gift you give. It does not need the other person's contrition or sorrow, just your willingness to let go of what will hurt you more if you hold it inside. Forgiveness is thus a gift you give yourself, but it first comes from God who forgave us for our sins. We can do no less than to forgive others as we have been forgiven. Forgiveness is good for the soul. It helps our peace of mind as well.

“I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you.” (Matthew 5:44)

"Gomenesai, Lord Jesus, amen!"