Sermon: "Forgive Us, as We Forgive"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

[This sermon by Bishop vonRosenberg was delivered using the following notes.]

As Americans today, we are dealing with two very different realities in the news. Yet, those realities have something in common - and that is, we may not want to acknowledge the truth of what we read.

First, the death and burial of Ronald Reagan marks an occasion of remembering for us. Our opinions about his presidency may vary, but certainly this man's leadership represents a very significant time in our history. For some, it may be difficult to close that chapter and to move on - a task with which any death presents us. And yet, as is often the case, we may really wish to avoid that task following the death of someone so significant.

Also, though, as Americans today, we have the difficult and troubling task of coming to terms with information about the treatment of prisoners in Iraq for whom we were responsible. I know that the images of who Americans are in these terms seem unfamiliar to me. Indeed, I do not want to accept what I have seen. I have been unprepared to grasp and acknowledge the perceptions that others have of Americans … perceptions conveyed by news reports in the past several weeks. Further, I resist the self-image that seems to have emerged.

Thus, in two very different kinds of ways, the news before us today presents us with realities that we may not be prepared to hear or want to acknowledge. In a similar kind of way, today's readings from the Bible may have provided lessons that we are not prepared to hear either. But these are lessons that I believe to be very appropriate for us, nevertheless. Sometimes it is at those very moments of uncomfortable self-awareness that we need to pay the best attention. Such may be the case in today's lessons. Those readings focus our attention on a fundamental concept for Christianity: forgiveness. And, fundamental to this concept is the awareness of responsibility for sin.

At the very beginning of Psalm 32, the theme of forgiveness presents itself to us. The Psalmist opens his passage this way: "Happy - or, blessed - are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away!" There we are. Forgiveness cannot be avoided today, even though we might prefer to concentrate on other matters. Indeed, forgiveness demands our attention this morning.

In the Old Testament reading from Second Samuel, we see King David at his worst. Actually, it was just prior to this passage that David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then, David made certain that Uriah - Bathsheba's husband - would be killed in battle. Not very appealing behavior for the king of God's people!

The prophet Nathan confronted David - first in an indirect way, with the story of the poor man and his lamb. When David became upset at hearing about the rich man who had the poor man's lamb killed, then Nathan spoke more directly as the Lord's prophet. He said to David, "You are the man!"

Following that confrontation comes an amazing and instant recognition. David readily accepts his own guilt. "I have sinned against the Lord," he affirms. And then, perhaps even more amazing comes this word of forgiveness from Nathan: "Now the Lord has put away your sin; you shall not die."

It is interesting that the words of Psalm 32 are thought to be a personal expression of David's reaction to this confrontation with Nathan. That is, David had a hand in writing many of the psalms, and whether he wrote this one or not, the words certainly are appropriate to his circumstances: "Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away!"

In the reading from St. Luke's Gospel, we hear the subject of forgiveness addressed once again. However, in this case, the emphasis changes from the one who is forgiven to the one who forgives - and, in particular, to the Lord. You may remember that the whole passage involves the theme of forgiveness. Jesus speaks of forgiving great debts, and he compares that to forgiving great sins. Jesus then expresses forgiveness toward the woman who was characterized as "a sinner." Then, in amazement, the people say, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" You see, in traditional Jewish understanding, God alone could forgive sins. Jesus' word of forgiveness, therefore, was a truly remarkable thing.

I suspect, my friends, that we do not concentrate enough attention on the matter of forgiveness, nor do we understand it for the profound event that it is. Even though the Lord himself instructed us to pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," still we do not appreciate the centrality of forgiveness to our Faith. We cannot expect God to forgive us for our various sins - known and unknown, intended and unintended - unless we are willing to forgive others who have wronged us. May we therefore look at those around us with new eyes and with greater care, recognizing our need to forgive them - perhaps even those closest to us.

Finally, in the reading from Galatians, St. Paul writes that we Christians "have been crucified with Christ." He affirms, "I no longer live but Christ lives in me." Therefore, using St. Paul's personal perspective, the sinner that I am has been crucified so that the Christ in me may live. Thus, I, who have been forgiven, am enabled by the Christ in me to forgive others. And that is indeed good news!

Some of us today will be confirmed or received. All of us will affirm our Baptismal Covenant with God. As a way to renew that Covenant, we will be asked certain questions. Among them is this one: "Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?" (BCP,p417). Our response, "I will, with God's help", indicates our commitment to living a life centered on forgiveness - God's forgiveness of us and our subsequent forgiveness of other people. May we recognize that in life and in death, in good times and in bad ones, it is a central responsibility for Christian people to be about the work of forgiveness - accepting the forgiveness of God and, then, practicing forgiveness toward other people.

In conclusion, therefore, it is most appropriate that we claim our place along with the Psalmist, who proclaims, "Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away!" Happy, indeed, are we that our transgressions are forgiven and that our sins are put away! Amen.

Copyright © 2004 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee