There are so many special “days” now, it’s impossible to remember many of them.  I’m not talking about national holidays such as Thanksgiving and other significant days which apply to many of us, but the burgeoning number of days which  seem as though they were mainly the idea of greeting card companies.  A glance at an online calendar site shows there are now literally hundreds of “special days” to supposedly celebrate (and send a card) each year.  In fact, every day of the year now has some significance, and many days honor multiple things.  Some of these days may be perfectly appropriate to show appreciation or concern for others, but a lot of them seem silly at best.  October 4 was apparently “National Frappe Day” and  I fully expect to see “Second Cousin’s Day” cards soon.

But there is one day this month to which I do subscribe as being totally worthwhile:  National Forgiveness Day.  There are actually several “Forgiveness Days” which originated in different areas.  Global Forgiveness Day and International Forgiveness Day are both celebrated in the summer months. In the US, “National Forgiveness Day” is on the last Saturday in October: this year, Saturday, October 26.

Forgiveness Day is a day that all people of faith can honor, if we choose to do so, and one to which even many people without religious beliefs can relate. For those of us who take seriously the words “Forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sin against us” (Matthew 6:12), the day is an opportunity to reflect on the need for forgiveness and how to make it a part of our everyday lives.   This week’s article, “A Day For Forgiveness”, gives some thoughts to start you on your own reflection on what it means to forgive.