Let’s talk about forgiveness. Yes… this is not the easiest topic, especially when your heart still stings.

Doug Hinderer starts off with that classic head-scratcher: Does forgiveness cancel justice? Honestly, yeah, it feels like it sometimes. But he flips the script with a jaw-dropping story — not just about St. Maria Goretti, but her mother, Assunta.

💔 One Mama. Six Kids. A Heartbreaking Story.

Assunta Goretti lost her husband to malaria, worked the fields as a solo mom, and then… her daughter Maria was brutally murdered.

As if that wasn’t enough, the fallout from that tragedy forced her to give up her five remaining kids for adoption. 

How?! Like, seriously… how do you survive that level of loss without losing your mind or your faith?

Maria’s murderer, Alessandro, after many years in prison, shows up on Assunta’s doorstep…

And what does she do??
She says:

“Maria has forgiven you. God has forgiven you. So do I.”

...and then invites him into her home, calling him her son for the rest of her life.

...That’s supernatural forgiveness. The kind you can’t fake. The kind that looks impossible… but with grace, isn’t.

Doug reminds us: Jesus commands us to forgive. It’s not a suggestion. It’s not an if-you-feel-like-it. 

🙏 “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us…”

Doug says that forgiveness is literally God’s work. When we withhold it, we’re not on Jesus' team. 

The 4-Step Forgiveness Exercise

(Get your pencil out 📝)


Identify the specific person and the exact offense.
Be super clear. Who hurt you? What exactly happened? Write it down.


Examine your anger.
Have you buried it, or are you feeding it like a fire that won’t quit? Be honest.
List the pros and cons of forgiving.                                                                                            How would your life change if you let this go? Take it to prayer. Ask Jesus for the desire to forgive, even if you’re not there yet.
Go Deeper.                                                                                                                                Think about how forgiveness will bless not just you, but everyone around you. Your peace will ripple out... to your spouse, your kids, and your friends.

Forgiveness Isn’t Instant… and That’s Okay

Doug reminds us:

-It’s not forgetting.

-It’s not excusing.

-It’s not pretending it didn’t hurt.

It’s choosing, sometimes daily, to rise above the pain. We hand the gavel over to God the Judge, instead of staying stuck in anger court yourself. ⚖️

💬 Final Thoughts 

Listen, friend, forgiveness feels impossible sometimes. But we’re not doing this solo. God will help us.

Forgiveness isn’t weakness.
It’s heroism.
It’s freedom.

So, if someone’s face came to mind while you were reading this… maybe it’s time. Start the process. You’re not alone. 💛

“Forgive us… as we forgive.”
Let’s live like we mean it. ✝️✨

Catch the full hour here!

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Let&rsquo;s talk about forgiveness. Yes&hellip; this is not the easiest topic, especially when your heart still stings.
Doug Hinderer&nbsp;starts off with that classic head-scratcher: Does forgiveness cancel justice? Honestly, yeah, it feels like it sometimes. But he flips the script with a jaw-dropping story &mdash; not just about St. Maria Goretti, but her mother, Assunta.
<hr data-start="915" data-end="918">
💔 One Mama. Six Kids. A Heartbreaking Story.
Assunta Goretti lost her husband to malaria, worked the fields as a solo mom, and then&hellip; her daughter Maria was brutally murdered.
As if that wasn&rsquo;t enough, the fallout from that tragedy forced her to give up her&nbsp;five remaining kids for adoption.&nbsp;
How?! Like, seriously&hellip; how do you survive that level of loss without losing your mind or your faith?
Maria&rsquo;s murderer, Alessandro, after many years in prison, shows up on Assunta&rsquo;s doorstep&hellip;
And what does she do?? She says:
<blockquote data-start="1490" data-end="1653">
&ldquo;Maria has forgiven you. God has forgiven you. So do I.&rdquo;
...and then invites him into her home, calling him her son for the rest of her life.
</blockquote>
...That&rsquo;s supernatural forgiveness. The kind you can&rsquo;t fake. The kind that looks impossible&hellip; but with grace, isn&rsquo;t.
<hr data-start="1804" data-end="1807">
Doug reminds us:&nbsp;Jesus commands us to forgive. It&rsquo;s not a suggestion. It&rsquo;s not an if-you-feel-like-it.&nbsp;
<blockquote data-start="1997" data-end="2077">
🙏 &ldquo;Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us&hellip;&rdquo;
</blockquote>
Doug says that forgiveness is literally God&rsquo;s work. When we withhold it, we&rsquo;re not on Jesus' team.&nbsp;
<hr data-start="2406" data-end="2409">
The 4-Step Forgiveness Exercise
(Get your pencil out 📝)
<ol data-start="2513" data-end="2880">
<li data-start="2513" data-end="2651">
Identify the specific person and the exact offense. Be super clear. Who hurt you? What exactly happened? Write it down.
</li>
<li data-start="2653" data-end="2771">
Examine your anger. Have you buried it, or are you&nbsp;feeding it like a fire that won&rsquo;t quit? Be honest.
</li>
<li data-start="2653" data-end="2771">List the pros and cons of forgiving.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; How would your life change if you let this go? Take it to prayer. Ask Jesus for the desire to forgive, even if you&rsquo;re not there yet.</li>
<li data-start="2653" data-end="2771">Go Deeper.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Think about how forgiveness will bless not just you, but&nbsp;everyone around you. Your peace will ripple out... to your spouse, your kids, and your friends.</li>
</ol>
<hr data-start="2882" data-end="2885">
Forgiveness Isn&rsquo;t Instant&hellip; and That&rsquo;s Okay
Doug reminds us:
-It&rsquo;s not forgetting.
-It&rsquo;s not excusing.
-It&rsquo;s not pretending it didn&rsquo;t hurt.
It&rsquo;s choosing, sometimes&nbsp;daily, to rise above the pain. We hand the gavel over to&nbsp;God the Judge, instead of staying stuck in anger court yourself. ⚖️
<hr data-start="3210" data-end="3213">
💬 Final Thoughts&nbsp;
Listen, friend, forgiveness feels impossible sometimes. But we&rsquo;re not doing this solo.&nbsp;God will help us.
Forgiveness isn&rsquo;t weakness. It&rsquo;s heroism. It&rsquo;s freedom.
So, if someone&rsquo;s face came to mind while you were reading this&hellip; maybe it&rsquo;s time. Start the process. You&rsquo;re not alone. 💛
&ldquo;Forgive us&hellip; as we forgive.&rdquo; Let&rsquo;s live like we mean it. ✝️✨
Catch the <a href="https://relevantradio.com/2025/07/practicing-forgiveness/">full hour here</a>!
<hr>
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

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