| KS Hawai‘i Keiki Kahu Mamo Esera and Christian Education Kumu Shonnie Calina share their heartfelt mana‘o. |
| Lent Week 1: ForgivenessKamehameha Schools has created a series of Hawaiian- focused devotionals for Lent, to honor the deep Christian faith of our founder Princess Pauahi. The devotionals were designed to be used by staffers, students and others to celebrate the coming of Easter, so please feel free to share them. Heluhelu Baibala/Scripture Reading A laila ʻōlelo akula ʻo Iesū, E ka Makua, e kala iho ʻoe i ko lākou nei hewa; no ka mea, ʻaʻoleo lākou ʻike i kā lākou mea e hana nei. Puʻunaue aʻela lākou i kona mau kapa, hailona ihola. – Luka 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” The soldiers divided up his clothes by casting lots. – Luke 23:34 Ka mana‘o o ka limahana KS Hawai‘i Christian Education Kumu Shonnie Calina In this one scripture, Jesus shows what the highest level of love looks like. He’d been given the highest form of punishment and was innocent. Death on a cross. He was mocked and humiliated. In all that physical and emotional pain, Jesus did something almost counterintuitive. He prayed for his accusers and asked His Father to forgive them! Forgive?! Then He adds, “They don’t know what they are doing.” Did they not really know? They did know. But, they didn’t realize how impactful their decisions were in regards to their own ola (life), the real hopena (result) of their koho (choice). Jesus’ powerful and transformational example directs us to forgive. Forgive those who cause us pain. In knowing Jesus, we are able to have compassion and empathy for others. This allows us to release our anger and hurt. We become free. We are able to holomua (progress) to another level of understanding. Aloha becomes our strongest motivator. So choose to live noa (free). Ask the Father to help get you there. It’s not easy. But, it’s possible. It’s possible because of the incomparable love that Jesus displayed on that cross, just for me, just for you. Ka manaʻo o ka haumana Keiki Kahu Mamo Esera Growing up in my earlier years was tough. Our mom was in an abusive relationship and although she worked hard to provide for us, she couldn’t protect us from the mistreatment. Our father was a drug addict and an absent parent. His negative habits began to dismantle our family, our trust and our lives. He was incarcerated for a time and we moved on without him. So, why would I choose to forgive a person who was supposed to love and protect us, but did the opposite? When Jesus said, “Forgive them for they know not what they do,” I was reminded of the power of forgiveness for those people who don’t know why they do the wrong things they do. Forgiving gave me freedom to move forward and to live aloha! |
Kahu Ann Young
