8 April 2020 - the grace of forgiveness

Today's Readings

(Audio)

Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;

Jesus wants to give us ears that are open to hear the Father's will. He wants us to be able to accept the invitation to love and obedience even when that means suffering for us.

And I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
My face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

We are called to love even our enemies. We are called to love no matter what response we receive in return. But we often do rebel and turn back from this call when it becomes too personal. We have this abstract way in which we believe we are prepared to forgive anything. We imagine ourselves like the Amish, forgiving egregious acts of violence. But we aren't ready when our feelings are hurt. We more readily imagine forgiving a grievous act of violence from someone we never met than we would forgive having some effort of ours ignored or not acknowledged. To be honest, most of our ideas of forgiveness turn out to be mere braggadocio when put to the test and we are fortunate that we are no tested more rigorously.

Jesus does forgive those who persecute him. Even from the cross he asks for their forgiveness. How is he free to do what comes only with great difficulty for us?

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

The identity of Jesus is grounded in his knowledge that he is the Son of the Father. Because he has that knowledge he also knows that he doesn't have make a false effort to protect his own ego but not forgiving. His Father sustains him no matter what rights he foregoes, what he himself gives away and offers in love.

We have been made sons and daughters in the Son. Because of this our identities need not be at risk when we forgive. But for us, forgiveness is an act of faith. It is believing that God will sustain us when we seem to be giving away too much. But faith is given as grace, and it grows as it is used.

“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”

We are called to forgiveness beyond limits. Jesus would have forgiven even Judas had he but asked. He forgave Peter his betrayal. He continues to forgive all who ask him. This is what freedom looks like. We are called first to receive that forgiveness where we ourselves need it, and then to spread it wherever we can.