Greetings from St. Mark’s on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost as we sense the transition from our summer regeneration to the work of the year.
We were gathered with the recognition that we are not able to please God on our own but we might be able to being to please God by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Our first lesson from Exodus recounts the destruction of the Egyptian army as they pursued the Israelites through the Red Sea. The Psalmist sings a song reaffirming God’s grace given to the people of Israel because they have responded to God’s call. The reading from the letter to the Romans highlights the truth, that all things done to worship and please God are sufficient to please God; and that we should welcome others who don’t see their relationship with God the same way we see our relationship with God. Matthew’s gospel is the account of the unforgiving servant.
One thing which many in society don’t get is Christians have standards and aren’t told to forget past offenses and hurts – we are human and not divine. Being called to forgive is part of our life of faith but we often need to remind ourselves and others, that forgiveness is most crucial in community. We are called to forgive others to engender a relationship with them, but they have a choice to make – work to be in relationship and accept the cooperative solution to differences or not be included freely in community. The one forgiven needs to accept the forgiveness given and work to restore the relationship broken by their actions. We are not called to subjugate ourselves to the powerful, but to hold firm to the potential of redemption and reconciliation which is found in being forgiven and offering forgiveness. Our mission is to hold firm to the community and seek relationships founded and mediated by God.
To whom are you called to do the hard work of reconciliation and forgiveness to build a strong and vibrant community? How will you work to be forgiving in a way that builds community? I invite your comments,
Les+
Lessons: Exodus 14:19-31; Psalm 114; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35
Sermon link: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-2/song/pentecost-16-sermon-1
