— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —
We had recently a discussion about the word “sorry” and we noticed that it is an often used word, particularly in the UK where people on average seem to be more polite than in Germany. We discovered that “sorry” might be a sign of courtesy, for instance when one touches unconsciously another one in the street. This is different from forgiveness, which is one of the central points in the preaching of Jesus.
To ask for forgiveness is often a difficult business, particularly when we are not convinced that the fault was ours but of the other person. It is also difficult because we may not know how to express ourselves, what is the best way of asking for forgiveness. Another uncertainty is how the receiver will react. Will he/she accept our apologies or reject them, which may worsen the conflict.
Jesus’s message is clear; we have to forgive 7 X 70 times with all our hearts, with all our bodies and our entire mind. Peace is not possible without forgiveness and reconciliation needs to be grounded on forgiveness, independent of the question who was right and who was wrong. To ask for forgiveness and to grant forgiveness are genuine human acts, needed for ending a conflict and often beyond the quest for justice. We pray for forgiveness (including for actions we may not be aware of) – but also for giving us the strength to forgive others. By now, with a full new year ahead of us, we can practice forgiveness and stand up to the multiple challenges around it.
The ACF Midweek Meditations
are written by a diverse group of our church members with the intention to seek God’s fingerprints in our lives. They range from somber to humorous and are inspired by all facets of live and faith. Written by ordinary people from all walks of life, they reflect a wide range of Christian backgrounds and spiritualities.
Each week’s text portrays the individual viewpoint of its author. They might not always resonate with everyone, and are not meant to be understood as representing the Anglican Church Freiburg as a whole. Yet, as a church that is aiming to ‘Build a Community of Grace’ we seek to practice learning from and listening to one another.
We pray that these humble ponderings add a small spark of blessing to your week.
Freiburg Anglican Church 