Lenten Reflections: We

"Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." - Romans 8:34

"Father, forgive them,..."

Were these words uttered for those laughing at the foot of the cross? Was it intended for the Romans, the Pharisees, Pilate, those who turned their backs on Christ? Was it is reference to the Judas, Herod, Caiaphas?  Those being crucified on His left and right? The Really evil ones? The scum?

"Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." 

Divine irony stretches over 2000 years, and falls on us today. 

Or does it slap us in the face?

They didn't know what they were doing.

We know exactly what we do.

We lie. We condemn. We spit. We strip. We beat. We whip. We nail. We laugh. We walk away. 

And yet, "Father, forgive them," still applies. Echoed from the cross. Reaching the ears of God the Father.

Lent brings us face to face with the reality that yes, we are forgiven, but we know exactly what we do. We have history on our side, thousands of years of trial and error, and yet we still crucify Him. We still spit on Him. He still beat Him and laugh at His pathetic weakness. In many way, Lent is a mirror. A mirror that reflects through 2000 years and thousands of mile. All the way to Roman America. Lent reveals to us the very uncomfortable reality that we are no different than those that Jesus let off the hook on Good Friday. We are one. Unity, even when it sucks.

Lord, thank you for your forgiveness, even when we know exactly what we're doing. Help us to receive Your forgiveness with open and humble hearts. Help us to give the same forgiveness to each other, even when we know perfectly well the destruction we do to Your Kingdom. Amen

Lenten Reflections: Forgiveness

"Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” - Luke 23:34


Forgiveness. Not always easy. Not always fun. Not always accepted. 

Forgiveness sometimes sucks.

Forgiveness is not easy because forgiveness relinquishes control. To forgive, we have to let go and letting go doesn't come natural to us. We are obsessed with controlling ourselves, others and every situation that intersects our relationships with each other. 

"Trust in the Lord....."  Sure! As long as I get to keep control over every aspect of my life, no problem!

Forgiveness. Control. Power.     

"I refuse to forgive you!"..... Because if I do, she wins.   

"They don't deserve forgiveness because of what they did!"..... Because they need to suffer as well, and if I refuse to forgive them, they'll suffer too.

"How can I refuse him for what he did to me?"..... If I do, I'm weak. I'll feel weak. I'll be perceived as weak. 

Refusing to forgive gives us control, right? It gives us power. We feel strong. And we need that strength to carry us through the pain inflicted on us. 

"You hurt me, now I'm going to hurt you!"

Really?

When we refuse to forgive, it's as if we pour salt on our own wound and expecting it to hurt someone with no wound.

Who really suffers from our lack of forgiveness?

Him? Her? You? Me? Them? Us?

Refusing to forgive doesn't just effect the offender, but the offended as well. It effects those around us and those not even involved. Refusing to forgive effects the collective. The community. Unity is destroyed.

There can be no barriers in unity. There are no barriers in the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is forgiveness, not holding on to hurts and pain.

The Kingdom of God is unity, not division.

The Kingdom of God is release, not control.

The Kingdom of God is not conditional, but limitless.

As we make our way through Lent, one of the aspects that we focus on is forgiveness; not just the forgiveness that we freely and graciously receive from God, but forgiveness of others. We can't truly embrace Lent while refusing to forgive, and we can't embrace Lent without receiving it as well.

Lord, as You have forgiven us unconditionally, enable us to forgive others unconditionally. As we give forgiveness, help us to receive it as well. Help us to realize that refusing to forgive does not give us control, make us strong and put us above the offender. The pain is only multiplies and unity destroyed. Help us to build unity through unconditional forgiveness for one another. Amen