Waiting with Forgiveness

A year ago I was thinking about parallel advents – the season of anticipation in celebrating the birth of Jesus paralleled our anticipation of vaccines to alleviate the confinement of the pandemic. So it is that time of year again and the longed-for vaccines have certainly been a benefit but there has been much anger, confusion, and division in our communities as well.

Joy can turn to anger, hope can turn to fear, generosity can become judgement as the world is slowly emerging economically, socially, and emotionally from a difficult season. It’s not that different than 2 millennia ago when the one a people longed for brought joy and freedom to many, but anger, judgment, division, and rejection accompanied it all.

The manger led to the cross and the victory over sin and death, but Jesus still creates conflict and division even among his most vocal followers.

We are going to be freer to celebrate together as families, but many families are fractured by anger and judgment over masks and vaccinations, government overreach, fear of the future and the unknown political and economic prospects.

Jesus over and over walked with people who were similarly divided and lived and taught patience, forbearance, and forgiveness. In one conversation he said, “It is inevitable that there should be pitfalls, but alas for the one who is responsible for them!”

Jesus told his friends that as a group they needed to be careful how they lived, if there are offenses in the group, face and forgive – even if it is seven times in one day! To which his friends responded, “We need more faith”. It is an amazing family, community and culture that could nurture honest disagreement but in the context in which forgiveness is granted freely and frequently.

We need more faith in this culture where angry reaction with no opportunity for forgiveness is more the order of the day – even within our faith communities. Perhaps a good way for us to use the season approaching the celebration of Jesus’ birth would be to carefully watch how we respond and how frequently we forgive as we go about our daily living.

May the forgiving Jesus call us to forgiveness in our relationships, families, workplace and nation. May his peace and kindness be yours this coming Christmas and New Year. I hope you enjoy our 2021 Prayers for Advent.  (there is a printable link at the bottom of the prayers).

The peace of Christ be with you and yours,

Norm

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