Have you ever felt like everyone uses the word intolerance, but no one really understands it? What is behind this? Where does it come from? And what do we need to understand to overcome it?

I would like to offer the perspective of a Middle Eastern Christian born and raised in the Holy Land, where Jesus walked the earth.

Intolerance is not as simple as having strong beliefs. It’s about what happens when those beliefs become so rigid, so unquestionable, that they are used to justify the poor treatment of others. And this is where things get really dangerous. It is the conviction that their point of view is the only valid one, without any ifs or buts. Interreligious dialogue? Forget it, even acknowledging that other paths to truth might exist is a no-go zone. And this is where the potential for real harm comes into play. If you are absolutely convinced that you have the only truth, well, anyone who disagrees is not only wrong, they are an enemy.

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And it’s a slippery slope. You begin to justify intolerance, discrimination and, in some extreme cases, even violence. It is frightening how easily the situation can escalate. This is not just some sort of theological problem. It is a spiritual issue that manifests itself in intolerance.

This is what makes Jesus’ message of love and forgiveness even more radical.

He is a man who lives in a time of intense oppression, hatred is everywhere and he preaches compassion for your enemies. Even on the cross, Jesus prayed as recorded in Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. »

It’s mind-blowing when you really think about it. He called for a complete overhaul of the system. Forgiveness as resistance!

Easier said than done, right? Especially when we talk about historical injustices, deep pain and generations of trauma. This doesn’t mean we ignore suffering or pretend it didn’t happen. Far from it.

True reconciliation, that which leads to lasting peace, can only arise from this ground of understanding. And ultimately, this requires forgiveness.

How can we free ourselves from these cycles of pain and resentment?

We are abandoning the legal model, what I sometimes call the total imbalance, the tit-for-tat approach. We move toward grace, that unmerited and unmerited favor.

It’s like a chain reaction, a ripple effect. You forgive, and maybe, just maybe, that opens the door for someone else to do the same. It is a cycle of love and understanding.

Forgiveness is not just a religious ideal; it is a tangible tool for change, first for ourselves, then for our communities and for the whole world.

But in a world saturated with hatred and violence, it’s not enough to tell people to forgive themselves. It has to go further than that. So how can we actually proceed? How to put this into practice? What are the concrete things we can do as individuals and as communities to begin to bridge these divides and build a more peaceful and just world?

First, we must educate ourselves and take the time to learn about different faiths and cultures, engage in respectful dialogue, and most importantly, question our own biases.

Second, we need to build relationships, reach out to people from different backgrounds, have meaningful conversations, and find common ground.

Finally, we must humanize the other. Choosing to see the humanity in those who have wronged us, and then working together to create a future where those wrongs are not repeated. It’s not easy, but it is the only way to break the cycles of violence and hatred that have tormented humanity for millennia. Ultimately, it all comes back to the radical act of forgiveness.

I sometimes call this “listening love” and it’s a phrase that has stuck with me.

And it comes down to this: Before we can even begin to bridge the divide, one of the most important things we can do is listen to the other side. It’s not just about hearing the words, but trying to understand their perspective, their story, and their pain, even if you don’t agree with them. It’s like you said, everyone has a story. And these stories deserve to be heard, not dismissed, but simply heard.

It’s about going beyond our own little bubbles, our preconceptions, our prejudices, being open to the possibility that maybe we don’t have it all figured out, that there may -be something new to learn.