A Call to Forgiveness, Mercy and Restorative Reconciliation
By Stephen Mbobu
Our new Vice Chancellor and Rector, Very Rev. Prof. Elias Omondi Opongo, SJ celebrated his first Thursday CUEA Community Mass on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
Reflecting on the Gospel account of the sinful woman who anointed Jesus (Luke 7:36-50), Rev. Prof. Elias Opongo emphasised that Christ does not deny wrongdoing but responds with forgiveness and an invitation to transformation. Jesus, proclaimed, her sins which are many are forgiven’.
The reflection challenged the CUEA Community to consider how they respond to those who have hurt or offended them. True mercy, he argued, does not mean ignoring wrongdoing or avoiding difficult conversations. Rather, forgiveness can become a pathway towards healing and transformation.
The VC noted that while forgiveness does not necessarily mean immediate reconciliation, holding on to hatred, resentment and a desire for revenge can become a heavy personal burden. The challenge, therefore, is to begin the journey towards forgiveness even when complete reconciliation may not yet be possible.
He noted that our human mind is so dichotomized that there are those we see as deserving and those who are not, those destined as sinners, those going to Heaven and others destined for Hell!
He reminded the CUEA family that Jesus came for sinners, (the scandal of the cross). And that every human being has inherent human dignity (‘we are created in the image and likeness of God” (Conf. Gen 1.26)) And hence deserving of the Mercy of God.
“Jesus asked Simon, do you see this woman, Simon sees the sin! Jesus wants us to go beyond the sin and see the human!”
“Let’s receive everyone. How do we lift one another in our sinfulness, weaknesses? How do we journey with one another? What God has given us is for us to share (giving a story of a brother who kept apples until on the 9th day they were rotting. He regretted that if he had shared they would have been enjoyed by more of his colleagues and none would have spoiled!)”. The VC challenged members of the University Community
The Burden of Unforgiveness
To illustrate the consequences of prolonged resentment, the VC recalled a television report from the United States involving parents whose daughter had been murdered. The parents were invited to witness the execution of the man responsible for her death.
After the execution, the father was asked whether justice had finally been served. He responded that he believed it had, but added that the man deserved more.
The VC used the story to illustrate the enduring burden of unforgiveness: even after the offender is gone, anger and resentment can remain. “That is the pain of lack of forgiveness. Because then the person is gone, but you're left with this heavy burden of, ‘You feel he deserved more than that.’”
Such experiences have contributed to the development of restorative reconciliation, a process that seeks to help victims and offenders confront the consequences of harm and, where possible, begin a journey towards healing.
He explained that such encounters can require extensive preparation, particularly when victims meet offenders years after a traumatic event. Not everyone reaches forgiveness, but some participants have found healing simply through confronting the person who caused their suffering and recognising the humanity and vulnerability of the offender.
The reflection also referred to the work of Howard Zinn, a Mennonite scholar and writer, in discussions surrounding restorative justice.
A Lesson from Rwanda
The VC shared the story of a Rwandan survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi who lost relatives as a child and later returned to Rwanda to recover and give them a dignified burial. He eventually encountered a neighbour who had been involved in their killing. When the man fell to his knees and asked for forgiveness, he did not know where the words came from, but he responded; “I forgive you.”
Now a priest and leader of a major Catholic institution in Kenya, he continues to reflect on that encounter asks himself what had happened in that moment and whether he had truly forgiven the man. The story illustrates that forgiveness does not erase wrongdoing or pain, but can become a difficult journey towards healing and freedom from hatred, resentment and the desire for revenge.
At the heart of the reflection was the Christian conviction that God's capacity for forgiveness exceeds the limits of human imagination—a mercy that invites people not to deny the reality of suffering, but to seek healing and, where possible, reconciliation.
After the Mass a cake was cut to celebrate the new VC and also celebrate his birthday, which happened the previous week, on September 9.