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John Paul Cleveland These days there is much use of “alternative facts,” and people decry that we live in a “post-truth” era. Truth comes off as a weapon to be used by those in power or those seeking power. Therefore, we find ourselves stuck believing that mere truth is a contestation between rivals or that⦠Read More
Karen G. Prudente Acknowledging that I (or another) may have caused hurt can be a painful process of self-discovery. Numbing and denial make it worse. Facing my trials with complete honesty helped faster recovery. Immediately putting on another’s shoes for perspective helps me better understand my reactions. I do my best to suspend and eliminate⦠Read More
Kyle C. Bisceglie The Sermon on the Mount tells us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) We do this because “if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (5:14) Likewise, we hear: “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.” (7:1)⦠Read More
Juliana Rowe What does it mean to forgive? What part does honesty play in the process? To forgive is to grant a pardon, turn over a new leaf. The need for such forgiveness arises where tension exists, where a wrong has been done. Forgiveness restores a relationship. It is an act of love and mercy.⦠Read More
Elaine MacKay “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Forgive me for anything I have done throughout the day that has been unpleasing to Thy holy eyes…” and so has begun my bedtime prayers since I was a little girl. Of course, I never really focused on⦠Read More
Jay Sauls I’m pretty sure this word means different things to different people. Surely, we all know the definition of forgiveness, but what it actually translates to in our individual lives is seemingly different. I often hear nonbelievers pose the argument that some Christians make their own rules. Maybe this is true when it comes⦠Read More
Janis Ekdahl I’ve often pondered how to align my life more closely to Christ Church’s mission statement: We seek to love God above all things and our neighbors as ourselves. The second phrase—loving our neighbors as ourselves—is especially challenging as we focus on forgiveness this Lenten season. It posits that we must first love—e.g. forgive—our⦠Read More
Ed Hale There was nothing that unique or special about that day that might have precipitated what transpired. To make a long story short I was struggling to figure out how to renew the auto insurance on my car, to avoid receiving yet another ticket. I was 20 to 21 years old, and for my⦠Read More
Jan Buttram “We have the capacity to live in communion with our Creator and with one another because we are wonderful works of God. And every time we see that we have lived in a way fitting to this purpose, we can celebrate grace.” Marjorie J. Thompson, Forgiveness: A Lenten Study Personally, the hardest leg⦠Read More
John H. Cole I am sure that to forgive another I must experience forgiveness. To do that, I must see how much I need forgiveness. When I am always “right” and you “wrong,” I have no need for the process. As I am still learning, living this way is simple but often joyless. I am⦠Read More