Anne Lamott said someone once asked her if she was “one of those forgiving Christians.” Lamott wondered if there was some other kind? We know forgiveness is a key component in our faith (and figures prominently in the Lord’s Prayer), and yet we know that forgiveness is not simple. It seems like it should be clear, but life is more complicated than a simple ethical command would allow.
The story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 50 shows this, too. I mean, they sold him into slavery! It’s a story that takes up one-quarter of the book of Genesis, so it’s complicated. Yet there is something about the forgiveness we see in that story which is not about forgetting or denying, but is about living forward in changed circumstances. It’s about seeking resolution in oneself, and reconciliation as far as that’s possible.
People of St. Timothy, this week in worship we get to ponder our ancestors’ wisdom in dealing with forgiveness. It gives us a chance to talk with one another about what forgiveness is – and what it is not. We can wrestle with this because we gather in God’s forgiving grace. So if we cannot do this ourselves, we can place one another in the same grace that receives us.
Peace,
Hans
Three Holy Days
In our tradition, we make space on Maundy Thursday to remember central parts of our faith story. We hear about the...
