Those who are stuck...let go

Were people at the time of Christ less or more traumatized by life than so many people are now? Rome was a harsh taskmaster and the Herods so nasty that Caesar stated that it was safer to be a pig in the court rather than a son, as the Jews did not eat pork but Herod had killed seven of his own sons. We must get beyond the language of victimhood and start realizing that our times reflect but one century of violence, wars and domestic displacement. I went to visit a woman I know who had an abusive past life. She did not want to talk to me and has lived in chaos by a sad decision to go over her pain again and again, choosing to live stuck in the far past. Another woman I know talks incessently about her horrible first husband. These Catholics refuse to do one thing...forgive. We are a squeamish three generations. We focus so often on hurts instead of healing. I want to say to three friends of mine "Do you want to be identified by someone else's sin against you?" We are not to be defined by those who do evil. We are defined by Christ Who loved us enough to take our pain onto Himself so that we can be free. We can choose freedom. I want to say to three friends in particular CHOOSE FREEDOM. Choose life. Choose love.