Father forgive

Downton Baptist Church is holding a photographic exhibition entitled “THE F WORD: images of forgiveness”

IN Matthew’s Gospel we are told about a time when Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, came to Jesus and asked

“Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

To understand this, we need to know that Jewish teaching required that one person should forgive another person three times. And no more. Peter clearly wanting to impress Jesus and Peter thought forgiving someone 7 times would be more than enough. But Jesus makes the point that it is important to keep on forgiving. He didn’t literally mean 77 times. He meant we have to keep on forgiving.

That is good sound teaching. And there are people who try to follow it. I remember being greatly moved by the words of forgiveness said by Gordon Wilson following the death of his daughter Marie in an IRA bombing at Enniskillen on Remembrance Sunday in 1987. “I bear no ill will. I bear no grudge” he said.

But for most people the reality, that to forgive something or someone can be hard to do. You may remember a few years back Rev Julie Nicholson, an Anglican vicar resigned from her calling following the murder of her daughter Jenny in the July 7^th tube bombings in London. At the time Rev Nicholson said

"It's very difficult to stand behind an altar and lead people in words of peace and reconciliation and forgiveness when I feel very far from that myself."

Julie Nicholson was being incredibly honest about this. And, for all the talk that she should have set an example, the reality is very different. And I find myself asking, ‘What would I have done?’ As a Christian minister I like to think I’d forgive but deep down I know that I might find it hard to do so.

Why do we need to forgive? On one level my answer to that is we must forgive because Jesus told us to. And he did so to remind his followers that unless we forgive, we will not be forgiven by God. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” as the Lord’s prayer puts it.

But on another level forgiveness is important for our own well being. By forgiving someone or something, we ease some of the hurt we experience.

As Bishop Tom Wright puts it

“Forgiveness is like the air in your lungs. There’s only room to inhale the next lungful when we’ve breathed out the previous one. If you insist on not forgiving, refusing to give someone the kiss of life they so desperately need, you won’t be able to take any more in and will suffocate very quickly.”

Let us pray

"O Lord,
Remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all of the suffering they have inflicted upon us: Instead remember the fruits we have borne because of this suffering, our fellowship, our loyalty to one another, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown from this trouble. When our persecutors come to be judged by You, let all of these fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness."

Amen

Prayer written by a unknown prisoner in Ravensbruck concentration camp and left by the body of a dead child.