Ecclesiasticus 27:30-28:7
Psalm 103:8-13
Romans 14:5-12
Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’  Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.  ‘For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.”  Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’

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I WOKE UP THIS MORNING WITH THANKS IN MY HEART FOR THE RAIN, AND THE FACT THERE HAVE BEEN NO NATIONAL CATASTROPHIES THIS WEEK. WE ARE WINDING UP A REALLY VERY INTENSE TIME, A WEEK OF LOOKING BACK ON THE EVENTS OF A YEAR AGO, 9/11, AS WE NAME IT NOW. EVEN FOR THOSE OF US WHO DID NOT HAVE A PERSONAL LOSS, IT WAS A DAY WHEN FOR SURE WE WERE JOLTED OUT OF OUR SECURITY, BECAUSE IT SEEMED CLEAR THAT WE ARE VULNERABLE NOW BOTH AS A NATION AND PERSONALLY.

AGAIN AND AGAIN, ON RADIO, TV, AND IN WRITTEN WORDS, THE EVENTS AND PAINS OF HUMANITY HAVE COME AT US THIS WEEK, INVADING OUR SCREENS. I STOPPED LISTENING AND READING AT SOME POINTS DURING THE WEEK. “OVERLOAD” I SAID TO MYSELF.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK A LONG TIME FRIEND CALLED FROM NEW YORK AND WAS DESCRIBING THE MIXTURE OF EMOTIONS AMONG HER CROWD. ONE TALKED OF TRYING TO STUFF

AWAY THE LOSS, AND THEN HAVING TORMENTING SPIRITS JUMP OUT AT HER, IN HER DREAMS OR WHEN SHE LEAST EXPECTED THEM. ANOTHER IS NUMB SHE SAID. SHE HAS PULLED INTO HER SHELL LIKE A TURTLE, PROTECTING HERSELF FROM ANY OTHER PAIN. NONE OF HER FRIENDS CAN REACH HER. AND MY FRIEND SEEMED VERY PENSIVE. AND THEN, AS IF NEEDING TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT, MY FRIEND AND I WENT ON TO TALK ABOUT WHAT FUN WE HAD IN THE EARLY 60’S, GOING TO “WINDOWS ON THE WORLD” AT THE TOP OF THE TRADE CENTER FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS. VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT IT WAS ELEGANT, AND HAD A MAGNIFICANT VIEW ON NEW YORK AND ITS SUROUNDING COUNTIES.

THIS WEEK HAS COME TO AN END, AND IN SOME WAYS, IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON. ALTHOUGH I SUSPECT THOSE OF US WHO LIVED THROUGH LAST YEAR WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE SEPTEMBER 11TH AGAIN WITHOUT RECALLING THE HORROR OF THE DAY. I KNOW I CAN NEVER FORGET THE FEAR I FELT WHEN PEARL HARBOR WAS ATTACKED SO MANY YEARS AGO.

THE SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR TODAY, THIS 17TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTACOST, ARE WORDS KEYED INTO WHAT MANY OF US ARE DEALING WITH AT THIS TIME. LAST WEEK, MATTHEW TALKED ABOUT HOW WE ARE TO DEAL WITH THOSE WHO SIN AGAINST US, OUR ENEMIES AND IN SOME SENSE THIS CONTINUES TODAY

THE WORDS FROM ECCLESIASTICUS LEAVE NO DOUBT IN OUR MINDS ABOUT THEIR MEANING. “ANGER AND WRATH ARE ABOMINATIONS, YET A SINNER HOLDS ON TO THEM. THE VENGEFUL WILL FACE THE LORD’S VENGENCE, FOR HE KEEPS A STRICT ACCOUNT OF THEIR SINS. FORGIVE THE SINS YOUR NEIGHBOR HAS DONE, AND THEN YOUR SINS WILL BE PARDONNED.” IT ALMOST FEELS AS THOUGH THE WRITER HAD MATTHEW’S GOSPEL IN FRONT OF HIM!

AND THEN PAUL WRITES TO THE ROMANS, “WHY DO YOU PASS JUDGEMENT ON YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER? OR YOU, WHY DO YOU DESPISE YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER? FOR WE ALL STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF GOD?” BUT IT IS HUMAN TO DESPISE A TERRORIST. AND YET WE MUST ANSWER THAT QUESTION “WHY” WHEN WE KNOW THAT SUCH IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN GOD’S EYES.

AS IS SO OFTEN THE CASE WITH PETER, HE BREAKS IN SO APPROPRIATELY WITH HIS QUESTION IN MATTHEW’S GOSPEL. “LORD, IF ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE CHURCH SINS AGAINST ME, HOW OFTEN SHOULD I FORGIVE? AS MANY AS SEVEN TIMES?” AND JESUS ANSWERS WITH “SEVENTY-SEVEN,” SAYING BASICALLY THAT WE MUST FORGIVE AN INFINITE NUMBER OF TIMES AS GOD FORGIVES US. AND THEN IN THE PARABLE WHICH FOLLOWS WE COME TO THE FIERCE TREATMENT OF THE MASTER TO HIS UNFORGIVING SERVANT WHICH ENDS WITH THIS; “AND IN HIS ANGER HE HANDED HIM OVER TO BE TORTURED UNTIL HE WOULD PAY HIS ENTIRE DEBT. SO MY HEAVENLY FATHER WILL DO TO EVERY ONE OF YOU, IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER FROM YOUR HEART.” WHEW! JESUS IS PRETTY CLEAR ABOUT THIS! AND PERHAPS IT IS TORTURE THAT WE EXPERIENCE WHEN WE FIND IT HARD TO FORGIVE. ALL THREE OF THESE PASSAGES POINT TO WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE IN GOD’S EYES, HOW WE ARE TO RESPOND WHEN WE ARE INJURED.

I WONDER HOW MUCH WE ARE AWARE OF THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE ASK TO BE FORGIVEN OF OUR MISDOINGS. IS IT OFTEN? FOR SOME OF US IT IS A REGULAR PRAYER, “WE ARE TRULY SORRY, AND WE HUMBLY REPENT.” “FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US.” SOMETIMES THESE ARE JUST SPOKEN WORDS, AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE HEARTFELT. BUT IN HIS MERCY GOD ALWAYS FORGIVES US. THEN I PONDER ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES WE SAY “YOU ARE FORGIVEN” AND I REALIZE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FORGIVE AS WELL AS TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS.

TODAY WE STRUGGLE WITH OUR ANGER RELATED TO 9/11 AS WELL AS WITH OUR SADNESS. WE CAN LIVE THROUGH OUR SADNESS, BUT WHAT ARE WE TO DO WITH OUR ANGER AT THOSE WHO HAVE HURT US? IT’S REALLY HARD TO LET GO OF IT, TO FORGIVE. I REALIZE THAT ANGER CAN BE ON MANY LEVELS. FIRST OF ALL IT CAN BE PERSONAL ANGER, FOR EXAMPLE AT PARTICULAR PEOPLE. PEOPLE WHO CALL OTHERS TO COMMIT SUICIDE FOR THE GOOD OF THEIR COUNTRY, OR WHO OFFER SALVATION TO A SUICIDE BOMBER. WE CAN BE ANGRY AT PEOPLE WHOSE JOB IT IS TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY AND WHO FAILED TO DO IT. BUT I ALSO FEEL ANGRY TOWARDS THOSE WHO WOULD ATTACK AND KILL, WHO WOULD START A WAR WITHOUT GOING THROUGH DUE PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT IS WAS A THE ONLY WAY TO SURVIVE. AND THEN THERE IS THE MORE GLOBAL ANGER, ANGER TOWARD THOSE NATIONS WHO HAVE BULLIED LESSER COUNTRIES, WHO HAVE TAKEN ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE OF THE POWERLESS IN THE WORLD FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT. WE CAN BE ANGRY AT OURSELVES FOR “WHAT WE HAVE DONE OR LEFT UNDONE,” AND WE CAN BE ANGRY AT GOD FOR LETTING THE WORLD GET TO THIS STATE. IT IS EASY TO BE ANGRY, BUT HOW TO FORGIVE?

THE STARTING POINT I THINK IS FIRST TO KEEP ALWAYS ON OUR HEARTS THE BELIEF THAT WE HAVE FREELY RECEIVED FORGIVENESS FROM OUR LOVING GOD. WITH THAT SUSTAINING US WE ARE FREER TO FORGIVE TO OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THAT PERSON OR THOSE PERSONS HAVE REPENTED OR WHETHER THEY HAVE APOLOGIZED TO US. I READ ONCE, I DON’T REMEMBER WHERE, SOMEONE WHO SAID THAT THE NATURE OF JESUSEST” AS HAS BEEN SAID. HOPEFULLY WE CAN CLAIM ALL THE FEELINGS THAT COME FROM THESE HURTS SO THAT WE CAN HEAL AND FORGIVE.

THE GREEK WORD TO FORGIVE, APHTEME, MEANS TO RELEASE FROM ONE’S GRASP, TO LET GO OF. THE FATHER OF A FRIEND OF MINE, WHO WAS IN THE PACIFIC THEATER DURING WORLD WAR II, NEARLY HAD A FIT WHEN SHE BOUGHT A JAPANESE CAR SOME 30 YEARS LATER. HE JUST HADN’T BEEN ABLE LET GO OF HIS HATRED FOR THE JAPANESE IN ALL THOSE YEARS. WHEN I HEAR THINGS LIKE THAT I WONDERED IF THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE DON’T WANT TO LET GO. BUT THAT IS WHAT FORGIVENESS IS ABOUT.

TAKING THE FIRST STEP CAN BE HARD, AND MAKING THE DECISION TO FORGIVE IS A FIRST STEP, PERHAPS THE HARDEST. SOME PEOPLE MIGHT FORGIVE TIMOTHY MCVEIGH IN THEIR HEARTS, KNOWING HIS HISTORY, BUT FOR OTHERS THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE. SOME CAN FORGIVE THEIR PARENTS FOR ABUSES, SOME CANNOT. SOME CAN FORGIVE BIN LADEN, BUT I SUSPECT MOST OF US CANNOT AT THIS POINT. IN SOME CASES WE ARE PARALYZED AND MAY BE NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGIVE. BUT WE ARE NOT LEFT ALONE TO ANSWER THIS CALL. JESUS ASKS FOR OUR COMMITMENT TO FORGIVENESS REALIZING IT WILL BE A PROCESS AND THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US CAN MAKE ALL THINGS POSSIBLE IF WE ASK WITH OPEN HEARTS.

“FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US,” WE PRAY. JESUS IS RIGHT, AND IT IS MY CONSTANT PRAYER THAT WE MAY, WITH THE STRENGTH OF GOD’S LOVE AND UNENDING FORGIVENESS, CONTINUE TO GROW INTO HIS LIKENESS.

The Rev. Ruth T. Healy, St. John’s Episcopal Church, College Park, GA.

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