The Gain Of Forgiving

Dic mihi, cum ignoscis de corde, quid perdis? Cum ignoscis ei qui peccat in te, quid minus habebis in corde tuo? Inde enim dimittis, sed nihil amittis. Immo vero unda quaedam caritatis ibat in corde tuo, et tamquam de vena interiore manabat: tenes odium contra fratrem, obturasti fontem. Non solum ergo nihil perdis, cum ignoscis; sed abundantius irrigaris. Caritas non angustatur. Ponis ibi lapidem offensionis, et tu tibi facis angustias. Vindicabo me, ulciscar me, ego illi ostendam, ego faciam: aestuas, laboras, cui licet ignoscendo esse securum, securum vivere, securum orare. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Sermo CCCLII, De Utilitate agendae poenitentiae Source: Migne PL 39.1557

Tell me, when you forgive from your heart, what do you lose? When you forgive him who sins against you, what will you have less of in your heart? From there you forgive, but you lose nothing. On the contrary a certain flood of love passes through your heart, as if welling up from an inner spring. If you cling to hatred against a brother, you have blocked up the spring. So when you forgive you not only lose nothing, but you are watered more abundantly. Love is not to be limited. If you place a stone of offence there, you block yourself up. 'I'll be vindicated, I'll have my revenge, I'll show him, I'll do it.' You're agitated, you're exhausting yourself, you who by forgiveness could be without a care, who could live without a care, who could pray without a care. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Sermon 352, On The Usefulness of Penance