To start this sermon, let us ask ourselves what
is our greatest personal experience in terms of being forgiven or forgiving
someone who has hurt us? From this personal question, let us move to the
question of: What act of forgiveness occurred in human history that we
might call the greatest example of the healing nature of forgivenss? As
we think about that question, I am sure that this morning's gospel lesson
that focuses on Jesus praying from the cross: "Father, forgive them for
they know not what they do" clearly is an inspirational example of
forgiveness. But how does that example relate to our lives? Let us
consider that question and see how we can experience more fully the joys
of forgiveness.
To begin our reflection, let us consider the question: Who was Jesus
thinking about when he prayed to his Father, "Forgive them." Actually,
there are many possibilities. It could have been the Roman Soldiers who
cruelly had whipped him and mocked him and who were now carrying out the
crucifixion. It could have been one or both of the thieves who hung on
crosses on either side of Jesus. It could have been those who had plotted
against him and had gotten Pilate to sentence him to death. It could have
been his own disciples who at this moment of his greatest need had run to
the hills. In truth, what we believe about Good Friday is that it was all
of those people whom Jesus was praying for, and it is also for you and for
me. For one of the central beliefs of our faith is that we all make
mistakes and stand in need of God's forgiveness in our lives also.
In his
film "The Passion of Christ," the famous actor Mel Gibson appeared in only
one scene. It is a scene when all we see is the hand of a soldier holding
the nail that is about to be driven into Christ's hand to fasten it to the
cross. When asked why he wanted to be in that one scene, Gibson responded
by saying he wanted it to be clear to all that he understood that he stood
in need of God's grace and forgiveness in his life also.
Yes, it is important that we acknowledge our human frailty and our need
for God's grace and forgiveness. But it is even more important that we
realize that Good Friday means we have received the gift of God's grace
and forgiveness through Christ's sacrifice upon the cross. Yes, every
Sunday we repeat the words, "God so loved the world that he sent his son
not to condemn us but to save us." And that act of salvation and
forgiveness is what Good Friday is all about. Yes, the Lord knows us
weaknesses and all, and he loves us and by his grace we are
forgiven. Surely, that is one of the joys of forgiveness, but it is not
the only one.
For in accepting the gift of God's grace and forgiveness in our lives, we
are free of the burden of sin, guilt and shame, and enabled as God's
grateful people to respond to his gift by growing in our commitment to
follow his example of forgiveness in our lives also. Yes, each of us at
times in our lives have experienced the pain of a fractured relationship
in one form or another. We have been hurt and we have found it difficult,
if not impossible, to find room in our hearts to forgive the person or
institution that has hurt us. We thought that by holding onto our anger
we were hurting the person who had hurt us. But the truth is to hold that
hurt and anger in our hearts does more damage to ourselves than to the
person who has hurt us.
Rick Warren in his book The Purpose Driven Life
puts it this way: "Those who have hurt you in the past cannot continue to
hurt you now unless you hold on to the pain through resentment. Your past
is past! Nothing will change it. You are only hurting yourself with your
bitterness. For your own sake, learn from it, and then let it go." It's
like the old saying: "Whenever you are pointing one finger at another
person, you are pointing three at yourself."
This doesn't mean we are
saying that unkind actions are acceptable for they are not. But we can
not allow our lives to be diminished through resentment. Jesus, on the
cross provides our inspirational example. He had been so hurt by so many
and yet he still prayed for their forgiveness and the possibility of a new
beginning in that person's life.
Peter, the denier accepted that
forgiveness and became the rock of the early Church. What joy in his life
because forgiveness had given him a new beginning. It's not always easy
but as God's forgiven people, let us go forth to share the joys of
forgiveness in our lives and in the lives of those whom we effect.
Let us pray: Lord we thank you for the gift of your forgiveness in our
lives. Help us to accept that gift and to share it with our loved ones
and others. Amen
about when he prayed to his Father, "Forgive them." Actually,
there are many possibilities. It could have been the Roman Soldiers who
cruelly had whipped him and mocked him and who were now carrying out the
crucifixion. It could have been one or both of the thieves who hung on
crosses on either side of Jesus. It could have been those who had plotted
against him and had gotten Pilate to sentence him to death. It could have
been his own disciples who at this moment of his greatest need had run to
the hills. In truth, what we believe about Good Friday is that it was all
of those people whom Jesus was praying for, and it is also for you and for
me. For one of the central beliefs of our faith is that we all make
mistakes and stand in need of God's forgiveness in our lives also.