Forgiveness and Community. [LUKE. 17:1-:10]

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE FOR TODAY IS A COLLECTION OF 4 APHORISMS. ATTIBUTED TO JESUS ABOUT FORGIVENESS AND FAITH.
WHEN THE COVENTRY  CATHEDDRAL IN ENGALAND WAS BLITZED NOVEMBER 1940, DURING WORLD WAR II AND DETROYED BY FIRE, A LARGE NUMBER OF NAILS FROM MEDIEVAL TIMES WAS FOUND IN THE RUBBLE. MANY OF THESE WERE GATHERED  AND MADE INTO SILVER PLATED CROSSES. ONE OF THESE IS SET UP ON AN ALTAR IN THR RUINS OF THE OLD CATHEDRAL. BEHIND IT IS A CHARRED CROSS, AND WRITTEN ON THE WALL BEHIND THAT, THE WORDS, "FATHER FORGIVE." MANY LITTLE CROSSES OF NAILS HAVE BEEN SENT TO CHURCHES IN OTHE COUNTRIES WHICH HAD PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR. THE COVENTRY CROSS AND EXPERIENCE HAD BECOME A SYBOL OF FORGIVENESS,  AND NEW LIFE OF RECONCILIATION. I FIRST LEARNED OF THIS WHEN I READ THE BOOK FROM AUGSBURG, 'FIRE IN COVENTRY," TO FIND HELP IN UNDERSTANDING THE LIFE OF FORGIVENESS. IT IS THE EXCITING NEWS OF LIFE FROM DEATH.: OF RENEWAL AND THE LIFE AND FAITH OF ALL CONGREGATIONS, THROUGH THEIR EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WE MUST BELIEVE THAT WE IN OUR LIFE, IN OUR TIME, ARE TO LIVE BY FORGIVENESS, WHICH IS THE GOOD NEWS: FORGIVENESS,FAITH AND RECONCILIATION; WITH GOD.  OUR NEIGHBOR AND WITH OUR SURROUNDINGS. OVER THE LAST FEW TEXTS FOR THE MONTH, LIKE ALL GOOD NEWS TEXT, ARE THERE TO REINFORCE THIS CENTRAL ACT OF GOD AND TO INVITE OUR RESPONSE.
 SOMETIMES WE SEE IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF GOD WHO TAKES THE INITIATIVE AND SHOWS HIS LOVE AND CARE FOR US. AMEN!
 SOMETIMES WE SPEAK IN TERMS OF GOD'S DEED IN JESUS CHRIST; HOW LIFE, WORDS, HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION, HIS PRESENSE IN OUR MIDST AND HIS PROMISES AT THE CENTER. SOMETIMES WE SPEAK ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF GOD'S DEED IN JESUS CHRIST; HOW HIS LIFE, WORDS, DEATH AND RESURRECTION, HIS PRESENSE IN OUR MIDST AND HIS PROMISES ARE AT THE CENTER. SOME TIMES WE SPEAK OF IT FROM THE HUMAN VIEW OF FRUSTRATIONS AND IMPATIENCE  ABOUT INJUSTICES OF LIFE WE SEE EVERYWHERE THROUGH THE EVENING NEWS; UNRIGHTED OR UNFORGIVEN WRONGS;  THE SUFFERING OF THE INNOCENT.
SOMETIMES WE SPEAK OF IT IN PSYCHOLOGICAL TERMS, , LIKE A NORMAL VS ABNORMAL SINNER; GUILT COMPLEXES AND SCARS; HIDDEN HOSTILITIES; THE DIFFICULTES IN DEALING WITH THE PROPER PROBLEM. RATHER THAN IMAGINED OR DISTORTED MISDEEDS. WHEN IS SIN A SICKNESS, AND WHEN IS FORGIVENESS A HEALING?
SOMETIMES IT IS THE POIGNANT STORY WE HEAR OR THE KNOWLEDGE OF SOMEONE NEAR US THAT DEMONSTRATES THE INTENSE FEELINGS INVOLVED IN FORGIVENESS AND RECOCILIATION.
 LUKE SEVEN TELLS THE STORY OF THE WOMEN IDENIFIED SIMPLY AS A SINNER WHO POURED OINTMENT ON JESUS FEET, KISSED THEM, AND WIPED THEM WITH HER HAIR.  JESUS SAYS SHE LOVES MUCH BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN FORGIVEN MUCH.
 HAVE YOU EVER HEARD VERSIONS OF THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO WRONGED HIS FAMILY AND SOCIETY AND WAS RIGHTFULLY SENTENCED TO PRISON. WILLING TO BOW OUT OF THE LIFE OF HIS FAMILY WHOM HE HAD CAUSED SO MUCH PAIN HE WROTE TO HIS WIFE THAT IF SHE WAS READY TO FORGIVE HIM AND RECIEVE HIM BACK SHE SHOULD HANG A WHITE CLOTH ON A TREE THEY BOTH REMEMBERED,  (ONE WELL KNOWN VISION TIE A YELLOW RIBBON AROUND THE TREE).
 THE BIBLE IS NOTHING MORE THAN THE STORY OF FORGIVENESS SEEN FROM A THOUSAND PERSPECTIVES, SOMETIMES INDIVIDUAL, SOMETIMES CORPORATE, SOMETIMES LONG INVOLVED SITUATIONS THAT END HAPPILY, SOMETIMES TRAGIC
 CONCLUSIONS.  THEIR IS AN OLD TESTAMENT LESSON WHICH SPEAKS OF THE IMPATIENT CRY OF HABAKKUK WHO FINDS THE LONG DELAYED RIGHTING OF WRONG INTOLERABLE. IN DIALOG WITH GOD TAKEN FROM THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS OF THE BOOK, HABAKKUK RECIEVES A DOUBLE ANSWER: "JUSTICE WILL SURELY COME; THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." 
 IN MATTERS OF LIFE, ALMOST OVERWHELMING REAL -LIFE SITUATION, THE ONLY WAY TO SURVIVE, TO LIVE, IS TO HOLD FAST TO THE CENTER LIFE OF GOD.
DANIEL MADE THE SAME POINT WITH A DREAM OF AN IMAGE. IT HAD A GOLDEN HEAD, SILVER CHEST, BRONZE TORSO, IRON LEGS, THIS REPRESENTED FOUR ANCIENT KINGDOMS, BUT IT COULD BE CRUSHED WITH A HUGE STONE!  IT IS NOT A MATTER OF INTENSITY OF OUR FAITH BUT THE GOD OF OUR FAITH, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, Isaac, JACOB, THAT IS WHY FORGIVENESS IS POSSIBLE. YOU MUST HAVE FAITH IN THE ONE WHO SPEAKS THE WORDS, " I FORGIVE YOU.," OR IT IS OF LITTLE COMFORT.
YOU PERHAPS REMEMBER WHAT IT IS LIKE TO GO TO SOMEONE YOU FEAR WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN CAUGHT. A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, A JUDGE, A STORE OWNER WHEN YOU TOOK A CANDY BAR, AT TIMES YOUR OWN PARENTS. IT IS NOT THE SAME THING.  AS GOING TO ONE WHOM IS LOVING AND CARING, AND FORGIVING!