Forgiveness and the believer

The theme of today's lectionary readings is that of ‘forgiveness’, something quite fitting when we bring to mind:

+ September the eleventh and the twin towers of the World Trade Centre,

+ Baha Mousa and the findings of the inquiry into his death,

+ Israel and Pakistan – Turkey and Egypt’s response to Israel’s acts against humanitarian aid ships and the killing of border guards,

+ Libya and the conflict that continues there,

+ Syria and the death of innocents

Plus a great many other issues and places. public and private, besides.

Look at the Genesis reading and realise how much time has passed since Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. Jacob, his father has died, time has passed, but is the act forgotten? Is there healing, for after all the lyrics of many songs tell us that ’time is a healer’.
The truth is that people can be filled with the same rancour and bitterness that was present the day an incident occurred as they are many years later. For forgiveness is something that we choose to engage in, it doesn’t just happen! It is an act of will.

Joseph chooses to engage in that healing in our Genesis reading.

But what makes it the right time to forgive? Our Matthew reading last week talked about reconciliation and this week’s continuation asks how many times we should be reconciled and forgive one another. Seventy times seven?

Forgiveness needs discipline and an enduring faith, as the story of the debtor, who needed his debts to be forgiven demonstrates all too well. We seek to have our trifling debts forgiven by our Father in heaven but cannot forgive those who have indebtedness towards us. We love because God first loved us – we forgive because ‘he who has been forgiven much forgives and loves much!’

Forgiveness sets the focus of that forgiveness free and sets us free too! Free from the bitterness that eats away our bones (as David the king tells us) and free to enjoy life without continually being wracked in anger and life-sapping bitterness.

Listening to the radio over the past couple of days I heard people on both sides of the World Trade Centre episode - some were radicalised, some grieved, others were conciliatory and others were eaten up with hatred. I couldn't see their faces but I knew from their voices that they were twisted and bitter and that something died within them as people died in another place.

I pray that God will bring them the healing that forgiveness brings.

Pax

Genesis 50.15-21; Psalm 103.[1-7]8-13*; Romans 14.1-12; Matthew 18.21-35