Week of September 9, 2002
Pastor Dan

"Forgive us our trespasses as
we forgive those who trespass against us."
(Petition from the Lord's Prayer)

The commandment of Jesus to forgive often leaves us either at the surface level of peccadilloes or at the knees of despair. The matter is not made easier by all the ink spilled over the subject that leads us to ascertain that forgiveness is a product of human willpower. Many a person has entered my office with the burden of resentment and unraveled relationships. The burden is not only horizontal. It also becomes a block in the divine-human relationship. I have heard time after time the damaging effects of broken relationships even upon one's ability to pray. Although the aforesaid petition connects divine with human forgiveness, it does not place divine forgiveness as condition upon our human capacity to forgive.

Since forgiveness is a divine grace operation rather than an act of sheer willpower, where do wounded people begin? At what basic level do I follow the Lord's lead down the pathway of reconciliation? When in my work as a pastor wounded and burdened folks come to me with the confession that they cannot forgive, I resist the urge to tell them to "try harder" or to "move forward." I first ask if they are able to pray for the grace to forgive. And if not, I gently inquire if they are at least willing to pray for the grace to say that prayer. And if even that is too difficult at present, I urge them to lift up their raw refusal and resistance to God.

Even while we begin with this basic level, we need to come regularly to the Lord's house to hear the Word of absolution and share in the Supper of forgiveness. While we face squarely the barriers to human forgiveness, let us put ourselves in position to bask in the saturation of divine grace. Constant saturation with the Lord's promise of forgiveness over time can break the logjam of resentment and build crossways to reconciliation and peace.

Heavenly Father, help me pray for the grace to forgive. If I cannot yet pray for that grace, help me to ask for the words and courage in order to ask for the grace. If I do not have the courage yet to know how to pray for the grace to forgive, expose the barriers and help me to be honest to myself and to you about my refusal. Amen

Contributed by Pastor Dan
Published Monday September 9, 2002
Week 41 of Liturgical Year A