Sweet Sunday with Shakespeare

This week I have spent about 12 hours a day working on our production of Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona. This Sunday is especially sweet because it really is a day of rest for me!

Being so immersed in this play has given me an opportunity to contemplate some of themes. In this play the two gentlemen, Proteus and Valentine, have an age old problem. Proteus is jealous of Valentine and betrays him and tries to steal his girlfriend. In the end, Proteus apologizes and is forgiven by Valentine and his girlfriend Silvia. Proteus' own faithful girlfriend, Julia, has arrived on the scene and witnessed his terrible behavior, but she also forgives him. The ending is like every Shakespearean comedy; the happy couples are reunited and plan a wedding.

That may sound like an unrealistic ending, but I know that ultimately all who repent and forgive will, through God's grace, enjoy an eternity of "happily ever after".

I love how Shakepeare describes repentance and forgiveness.

"Who by repentance is not satisfied
Is not of heaven nor earth, for these are pleased.
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeased."

It reminds me of this scripture:

"And again, verily I say unto you, if after thine enemy has come upon thee the first time, he repent and come unto thee praying thy forgiveness, thou shalt forgive him, and shalt hold it no more as a testimony against thine enemy." D & C 98:39

I am grateful for the gift of repentance from our Savior Jesus Christ. We all sin and His atonement allows us to be lifted from the depths of sorrow. Because of Jesus Christ there is always hope and the possibility of change.

I am also grateful for the opportunity to forgive others. At times, we are all offended or hurt by friends or family members. Sometimes we are even betrayed or sinned against. The opportunity to forgive others has been a great blessing to me and brought peace into my heart.

This reminds me of a favorite quote from the book Home I read this year.

"There is a saying that to understand is to forgive, but that is an error. You must forgive in order to understand. Until you forgive, you defend yourself against the possibility of understanding.

If you forgive, you may indeed still not understand, but you will be ready to understand, and that is the posture of grace."

May we all be blessed with forgiveness and understanding!