Grace, mercy and
peace be unto you from God who is Creator, Christ and Comforter. Amen
Today we end our four week look at Luke’s version of the
Lord’s Prayer. I hope you’ve found it
helpful and interesting as we dove into this prayer that we pray each week –
often without thinking about what it is that we say.
And forgive us our
sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. The first time I said this out loud, I
tripped over the words! For we ourselves forgive everyone indebted
to us? I highly doubt that! As human beings we are by nature harborers of
grudges! Or, perhaps you’re a better
human being than I am…
Forgiveness…it’s something we make our children practice
from the time they are young. “Say
you’re sorry! Forgive your _____ (you
fill in the blank)!” I know with our
children, the practice was often very painful – for everyone! And, after much cajoling and encouragement,
the clipped, “Sorry” muttered under the breath, or through clenched teeth –
never ever having to move the lips, or my absolute favorite soooo-rrrrr-eee,
said dripping with sarcasm!
The truth is, we force our children to practice this skill
and keep at it long enough, so when it’s needed, as they grow, it will come
back to them – we hope.
So many times when we are waiting for someone to ask us for
forgiveness, those intense feelings of hurt, abuse, betrayal are so intense and
so deep that when the request for forgiveness comes – we would rather hold onto
our feelings than receive the gift of forgiveness.
And isn’t it true so often, that the person from whom we are
awaiting the request for forgiveness, doesn’t even know that you’ve been hurt
by what they said or did? And then, we
get angry that they aren’t bothered by whatever they did to offend us?
And then, we get angry with ourselves that all this time
later, that offense still bothers us?
And when we are the offender, we usually can sense the rift
in the relationship and experience the strain between us and the other
person. How much courage does it take to
ask, “What’s wrong?” or “Have I done
something to offend you?” And then…to
hang in there to hear that person out and to ask for forgiveness? I think it takes a lot of courage; it is very
hard for us to do, and hear!
Martin
Luther says in the Small Catechism: Forgive
us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
What is
this? or What does this mean?
We ask in this prayer that our heavenly
Father would not regard our sins nor deny these petitions on their account, for
we are worthy of nothing for which we ask, nor have we earned it. Instead we
ask that God would give us all things by grace, for we daily sin much and
indeed deserve only punishment. So, on the other hand, we, too, truly want to
forgive heartily and to do good gladly to those who sin against us.[i]
Matthew’s version of this prayer uses two little words that
pivot this whole petition…simple little words that make all the difference…AS
WE. As we forgive…it’s an ongoing
action. God’s forgiveness flows down
into our being and we are forever grateful!
We’ve done nothing to deserve such forgiveness – it is truly a gift of
God’s grace! As we feel, deep in our
being, that amazing, saving, creating forgiveness and can in that moment of
pardon breathe even 1 breath free of our sins – we in turn pivot and let that
forgiveness flow out from us to those who have offended us.
Ongoing action from God, through me, to others.
And, there is a flip side to this forgiveness issue. When someone asks us for forgiveness, we are
to give it just as freely as we receive forgiveness from God! It’s pretty hard to do when the offense, the hurt
is so real and so raw! How do we do
it? Practice, practice, practice. And realizing that when we hold onto our
hurts, the only person who is affected is us!
It only hurts you when you hang onto a grudge and makes your
world smaller and smaller and smaller.
When I was a child, my mother was my molester. She abused me repeatedly until I was eight
years old. I have this book on my
bookshelf entitled, The Last Secret:
Daughters …Abused by their Mothers, which I admit that I have not read
yet. It’s comforting to know it’s there
and that I am not the only one who experienced such pain and betrayal.
Now, here’s the kicker.
My mom asked for forgiveness almost ten years ago from my sisters and
me. It didn’t take any deep soul
searching on my part to grant that forgiveness.
I love my mom. I am forever
grateful that she chose to carry me to term and give birth to me – for she
didn’t have to. I forgave her instantly
and I will rally forever against the notion of “forgive and forget.” For, you see, I will never forget what
happened between us. Yet, there is no
bitterness, just sadness, over a relationship that would never be what I had
hoped to have with my mom. There are many
other details that I’m leaving out, but what’s important this morning is that
forgiveness was mine to grant, and I did.
I am grateful that I did.
Our relationship mended somewhat in the seven years we had before her
death three years ago.
And, I realize that what happened to me made me into who I
am today – a broken, forgiven, child of God, who eagerly reaches heavenward to
receive the perfect forgiveness that comes only from our loving God. And, who then, extends that forgiveness so
joyfully received, to others whom I have offended.
Perfect? No way! Just forgiven – like you!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son +, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen
