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FORGIVE

March 5, 2024

Song of Three Young Men 2-4, 11-20a |  Matthew 18: 21-35 | Psalm 25:3-10

Today we live in a culture that often ignores the importance of forgiveness, and today’s readings remind us how essential it is to ask for and give forgiveness. As Christians we believe that God forgives our sins, however we have to acknowledge and essentially own our sins, as well as confess them, before we can receive absolution and peace of mind. To sin means that we put ourselves first and relegate God to a lesser position in our life. In doing this, we turn our back on God and what he wants us to do. In today’s Psalm, in line 6 we read, “Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions/ remember me according to your love/ and for the sake of your goodness, Oh Lord.” The first line asks the Lord to forgive the sins we made when we were young and lacked experience. As Maya Angélou famously said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, you do better.” Today’s Psalm echoes this sentiment, as it acknowledges and owns our transgressions and asks the Lord for forgiveness. Implicit in this, is that if God forgives us, we should also absolve ourselves and find peace in the clemency granted by God.

In the reading from Mathew, we see a different type of forgiveness. Here Christ tells us that we must forgive those who sin against us. When Peter asks Jesus, “Lord if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus answers, “Not seven times, but, I tell you seventy-seven times.” The parable that follows demonstrates that we owe others the same grace and forgiveness that God gives us. When the master grants his slave clemency, but the slave refuses to treat his peer with the same grace, Jesus tells us the angry master said. “…Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?” This is a clear reminder that we should extend the same benevolent forgiveness to others that God gives us. This does not mean it was not a transgression, but by forgiving others, we let go of our own bitterness, anger and pain. The act of forgiveness actually heals us. Imagine how different the world could be if we learned to follow the simple message of this parable and grant others the forgiveness that the Lord grants us.

Glenis and Reid Downie