Forgiveness and Funny Business

When one has a considerable bone to pick with one's mentor, René Girard maintains via mimetic theory, it is entirely possible if not probable that this crisis will escalate into what he calls "the problem of the doubles." After seeing the mentor as a near-transcendent figure who can do no wrong, the admirer - who perhaps has been thwarted by his or her mentor figure in some way - now sees the former model as an envied or despised rival.

To preclude this crisis, it may happen or has happened that the admiring one will foist these hostile feelings onto a lesser figure. The cost is simply too great to lose the mentor/model. But a lesser person is, shall we say, expendable. This transference of hostility has the psychological advantage of maintaining the relationship between the model and the admirer, at least for a while longer.

Blessedly in all this, the Christian faith has in its patrimony the element of forgiveness. For whatever reason such human "funny business" is part and parcel of all of our lives. The culture of shame, recrimination, acrimony, and acerbity is for other peoples, other archaica. Once one has been around the block several times oneself, one sees and recognizes that same funny business in oneself and is much more likely to forgive others rather than to project animosity and blame.

In short, the faith which has Saint Peter as her first Pope (who heard the rooster crow and experienced soul-searing remorse) needs to raise up men (and women and youth) who forgive with a glad heart.