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| Forgiveness has the power to bring harmony within and with others |
The priests carr(ied) the ark of the covenant ahead of them. No sooner had these priestly bearers of the ark waded into the waters at the edge of the Jordan, which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest, than the waters flowing from upstream halted, backing up in a solid mass for a very great distance indeed. (Joshua 3:14-16)
… he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt … His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' Then in anger, his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So, will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart." (Matthew 18:30-35)
Piety
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil, Amen.
Study
Joshua’s account of God stopping the flow of water in a river is one more miraculous, astounding God-action in Sacred Scripture. Of course, God, who produced water from a rock and gave water from his own body on the cross could perform such actions. But when I consider the flowing force of vindictiveness and anger which I have experienced in moments when forgiveness is called for, I have a new understanding of just how miraculous this action is. And I have a new appreciation that without God’s divine participation, I cannot completely stop that flow and replace it with life-giving mercy.
Jesus’ story is pretty horrific. That the servant, treated with compassion, viciously hurled an associate into jail just does not make sense. Such a cruel action is, of course, to be denounced and not replicated. However, in sacred stillness, listening honestly to Jesus’ guidance, I can identify times when I have “jailed” someone with the silent treatment, or my contempt, or even disparaging her to others or seeking to undermine him. These tortures are too often employed and disregarded for what they truly are: dehumanizing.
Action
Even Neo-Nazis can be forgiven, as the father and mother of Heather Heyer said, as Shirrene Goss said. Tywanza Sanders, Shirrene’s brother, was murdered in “Mother Emanuel” AME Church, Charleston, by a white supremacist. But are we willing to put the effort into living a forgiving life which seeks to see Jesus’ face and offer Jesus’ mercy – humanizing – others? Who needs my forgiveness? Shall I begin with myself?
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