News
AA-Info n.11 – January 2026
Forgiveness: A Gesture of Hope
Roma
EDITORIAL
Fr. Ngoa Ya Tshihemba
Superior General of the Augustinians of the Assumption
To mark the close of the Jubilee Year, the statue of Our Lady of Hope, from the parish of San Marco di Castellabate in the province of Salerno (southern Italy), was placed in St. Peter’s Basilica. It was to remain there for Christmas and until Epiphany. This signifies, according to an article in Vatican News, that the Jubilee of Hope concludes under the gaze of the Virgin Mary. May this maternal gaze, full of tenderness, infinite love, and hope, which brings comfort, accompany us throughout this New Year. I invite you to choose to look to the future with renewed hope: hope to restore one or more relationships within your family or communities; hope for a better world, even if bad news floods the media; hope for an inner peace that strengthens the steps of those who wish to move forward.
Forgiveness can be the catalyst we need to move forward. A lack of genuine forgiveness is an emotional burden that paralyzes us. We also know what generates this resistance to forgiveness: a great deal of bitterness, anger, and resentment that severely affects everything. Not only does our spiritual life become purely formal, but our emotional well-being is also affected. Clearly, this profoundly hinders our ability to share a harmonious personal and community life.
It is true that we ask the Lord for forgiveness every day at the beginning of the Eucharist. And rightly so. “If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 129:3). This beginning of 2026 can be a wonderful opportunity for us to turn to our brothers and sisters and ask for forgiveness. Among the points in our Rule of Life most frequently cited in self-assessments for perpetual vows and ordained ministry, number 8 comes out on top by a wide margin: “We accept each other as different, for the One who unites us is stronger than what separates us. We must constantly overcome our divisions and limitations to find ourselves again in welcome and forgiveness. If we prioritize attentive listening and respect for others over differences of opinion and distinctions of origin, age, mentality, or health, our diversity becomes a richness.” “This is not simply a “copy-paste” of ideas, but a reflection of a profound reality and a calling that dwells within us: community life is a precious and fragile gift, therefore it must be welcomed and preserved.
The virus of discord respects neither age, nor responsibilities, nor the knowledge we possess. To deny this fact would be a mistake. The Rule of Saint Augustine, which we have chosen to adopt, insists in a unique way on the call to mutual forgiveness: “Whoever has harmed his brother, through insults, slander, or a serious accusation, should not forget to remedy the harm he has caused by offering his apologies without delay. As for the one who has been wronged, let him forgive without question. If they have harmed one another, they must forgive each other their offenses.” (Rule of Saint Augustine VI, 2)
In my short Christmas message for 2025, I quoted a line from a popular Brazilian song: “Every being, within themselves, carries the gift of being capable.” I deeply believe that this gift received from God makes us capable of mutual forgiveness. Pope Leo XIV, during the general audience on Wednesday, August 20, reminded us of this: “Even if the other does not accept it, even if it seems futile, forgiveness liberates the one who grants it: it dissolves resentment, restores peace, and reconnects us to ourselves.” This is a grace to ask for again at the beginning of this year. Let us not hesitate to receive it or offer it, “even when we do not feel understood,” said Pope Leo XIV.
May 2026 be a year of renewal for all of us. And may God, rich in mercy, transform us from within so that the forgiveness received and offered becomes a source of peace and new life in faith and hope.
To read the full AA-Info #11, follow this link...