Forgiveness

I share with you a familiar scripture verse about forgiveness:

Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

This means for me that forgiveness is not quantifiable, but a qualitatively different attitude and practice, drawn from the very being of God, whose nature it is to offer grace. “As far as the east is from the west, so far does God remove our transgressions from us”, says the psalmist.

In the emotionally powerful novel by Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet In Heaven, The major character, Eddie, is talking to Ruby.

“I hated my father”, Eddie says; “He was hell on me as a kid and worse when I got older”.

Ruby stepped toward him. “Edward”, she said softly. It was the first time she had called him by name. “Learn this from me. Holding anger is a poison………..it eats you from the inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harms us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves. Forgive, Edward, Forgive”.

The fourth verse of John Calvin’s powerful hymn (I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art) has been running through my mind as a constant refrain this week. Let this be our closing prayer: ”Thou hast the true and perfect gentleness, no darkness hath thou, and no bitterness. O grant us the grace, the grace we find in thee, that we may dwell in perfect unity.” May this be our greater vision. Amen.