Remembering and Forgiving

No doubt, you have heard mention of 9/11 at some point already today. It is a day to remember. We will never forget. If you are tired of hearing about it, then you should think of the families whose lives were torn apart in one morning.

I've realized that our youth from church were all very young when it happened. They barely remember. And so, as it was with Pearl Harbor, the Challenger and all the other memorials, we must remind ourselves of the horror we watched unfold before us in a way that we had only fathomed in Hollywood.

We must remember, so that we can forgive.

This morning in church, our pastor pointed out the Lectionary calls for Matthew 18:21-35 to be read on the second Sunday in the month of September, every three years (that's a lot to remember). I'll summarize it, in case your church (or for those of you who who didn't make it church), didn't follow the Lectionary. It's the parable of the master who forgives his servant of his debt when the servant pleads for mercy. Then, in Jesus' typical twist, the servant is asked by a fellow servant to be forgiven of his debt to the first servant. The first servant refuses and has the second servant thrown in prison. The master finds out that the first servant did this, and calls him out. Then the master has the first servant tortured until he can repay all of his debt.

Pretty extreme. It is preceded by Peter asking Jesus how many times we should forgive. As our pastor pointed out this morning, Jesus' answer is basically saying you shouldn't even keep score. Imagine if you tried and use Jesus' answer of seventy times seven. Four hundred and ninety times. You would need a spreadsheet for all of your friends and family and the people who piss you off on the road.

This brings me back to September 11, 2001 and how in a country that was hurt in such a horrific way is spending the day in Remembrance.
And that, in churches all over this nation, we are praying for the very people who caused these horrific acts.
That their purpose and drive will be changed.
That we can forgive them.
And that Hope, above all, will reign.