Forgiveness

 

19The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. 20It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.

21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. 22The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. 24At the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. 25He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.”

26Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.“ 27So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 28The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. 29But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

30Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31Israel saw the great work that the LORD did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the LORD and believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

Exodus 14:19-31



Moses

SWANSON, JOHN AUGUST

1983

Acrylic

Los Angeles, California

United States

 

Notes:

To purchase prints, cards, and posters of John August Swanson's works, visit http://www.johnaugustswanson.com

Acrylic Painting 15” by 21 ½”

JOHN AUGUST SWANSON makes his home in Los Angeles, California, where he was born in 1938. He paints in oil, watercolor, acrylic and mixed media, and is an independent printmaker of limited edition serigraphs, lithographs and etchings.

His art reflects the strong heritage of storytelling he inherited from his Mexican mother and Swedish father. John Swanson’s narrative is direct and easily understood. He addresses himself to human values, cultural roots, and his quest for self-discovery through visual images. These include Bible stories and social celebrations such as attending the circus, the concert, and the opera. He also tells of everyday existence, of city and country walks, of visits to the library, the train station or the schoolroom. All his parables optimistically embrace life and one’s spiritual transformation.

John Swanson studied with Corita Kent at Immaculate Heart College. His unique style is influenced by the imagery of Islamic and medieval miniatures, Russian iconography, the color of Latin American folk art, and the tradition of Mexican muralists.

His art is in no way "naïve." It is detailed, complex, and elaborate. Unlike many contemporary artists, John Swanson works directly on all phases in producing his original prints. His serigraphs (limited-edition screen prints) have from 40 to 89 colors printed, using transparent and opaque inks creating rich and detailed imagery. For each color printed the artist must draw a stencil on Mylar film. This stencil is transferred to the silk screen for printing the color ink on the serigraph edition. The resulting serigraph is a matrix of richly overlaid colors visually striking and technically masterful.

Mr. Swanson’s art is represented in the permanent collections of many museums, including three museums of the Smithsonian Institution: The National Museum of American History, The National Museum of American Art and The National Air and Space Museum. He is also included in the print collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, Harvard University’s Fogg Museum, the Tate Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. His painting THE PROCESSION is one of relatively few works by contemporary artists to be selected for the Vatican Museums’ Collection of Modern Religious Art. In 2008, an extensive collection of John August Swanson’s works were purchased by Emory University’s Candler School of Theology to hang on the walls of their new 76,349 square foot building. He was awarded The Dean’s Medal for his art’s transformative effect on the campus. With over 55 works hung, this is the largest open public display of the artwork of John August Swanson. [from the artist's website]

https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-fulldisplay.pl?SID=20230916935144215&code=ACT&RC=56554&Row=7

 

 

 

 

Without forgiveness life is governed by …

an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.

~ Roberto Assagioli

 

 

 

 

By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil

and to the grace which others are just

as entitled to as we are.

~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

 

 

 

 

 

My next-door neighbors, Robyn and Jimmy Mangham

Renewal of Wedding Vows

Robyn and Jimmy Mangham

Church of the Transfiguration

Sunday, September 10, 2023

 

Neighbors Jen and Mike Volmer at the service

 

Neighbors John (Jack) and Johna McLean, Suzanne Koczon

Foothills Golf Course - Denver, CO

Par 3

Foothills Golf Course

 

Carolyn Alexander, Anna Marie Nelson

After three long summers, we finally played golf again.

Then, of course, we had lunch.

 

Harley has come to live with me … we hope!

 

He is still a bit of a terror, but he does love to watch the elk from the windows.

 

Poor little (chubby) Harley has had a traumatic life.

 

At Rotary, Pastor Richard Aylor burst into song to get us started on

a getting to know you social exercise.

 

 

 

 

I forgive you for what you did to me,

but how can I forgive you for what you did to yourself?

~ Friedrich Nietzsche

 

 

 

 

 

September 17, 2023  Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 19 Year A

 

Previous OPQs may be found at:

     http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

 

21Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. 

23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Matthew 18:21-35

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

 

 

Lincolnmemorial.jpg

"… but let us judge not, that we be not judged.”

Second Inaugural Address

Abraham Lincoln

 

 

 

LECTIONARY

 

Exodus 14:19–31 

Psalm 114 or Exodus 15:1b–11, 20–21 

Romans 14:1–12 

Matthew 18:21–35

 

THE WORD:

The cutting edge of Jesus’ teaching on love is that nothing is unforgivable or should there be limits to forgiveness.  

It is ironic that Peter should ask the question about forgiveness that introduces the parable of the merciless steward, since Peter himself will be so generously forgiven by Jesus for his denial of Jesus on Good Friday.  It was common rabbinical teaching that one must forgive another three times; the fourth time, the offender was not to be forgiven.  Perhaps Peter was anticipating Jesus’ response to his question by suggesting seven rather than the conventional three times; but Jesus responds that there should be no limit to the number of times we must be ready to forgive those who wrong us (“seventy times seven times”), just as there is no limit to the Father’s forgiveness of us.  

As the king in the parable withdraws his forgiveness of his servant because of the servant’s failure to forgive another, so will God withdraw his forgiveness of the unforgiving and merciless among us.  God's forgiveness is not entirely unconditional: if we do not share it, we will lose it.

HOMILY POINTS:

To forgive as God forgives means to intentionally act to purge the evil that exists between us and those who harm us, to take the first, second and last steps toward bridging divisions, to work ceaselessly to mend broken relationships and to welcome and accept the forgiven back into our lives unconditionally, totally and joyfully.  

Forgiveness requires empathy, the ability to place ourselves in the place of the other to see the situation from the perspective of their pain and brokenness.  To realize the reconciling peace of Jesus begins with overcoming our own anger and outrage at the injustice waged against us and focusing our concern, instead, on the person who wronged us and ruptured our relationship with him/her — and possessing the humility to face the hurt we have inflicted on others as a result of our insensitivity and self-centeredness.  

Before our merciful Father in heaven, every one of us is an insolvent debtor – but the great mystery of our faith is that God continues to love us, continues to call us back to him, continues to seek not retribution but reconciliation with us.  All God asks of us is that we forgive one another as he forgives us, to help one another back up when we stumble just as God lifts us back up.

https://connectionsmediaworks.com/sundaygospel.html#sept17

 

 

 

First Reading Exodus 14:19-31

19The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. 20It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.

21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. 22The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. 24At the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. 25He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.”

26Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.“ 27So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 28The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. 29But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

30Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31Israel saw the great work that the LORD did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the LORD and believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

Psalm 114:1-8

1   When Israel went out from Egypt, 
          the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, 
2   Judah became God’s sanctuary, 
          Israel his dominion. 

3   The sea looked and fled; 
          Jordan turned back. 
4   The mountains skipped like rams, 
          the hills like lambs.

5   Why is it, O sea, that you flee? 
          O Jordan, that you turn back? 
6   O mountains, that you skip like rams? 
          O hills, like lambs?

7   Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the LORD, 
          at the presence of the God of Jacob, 
8   who turns the rock into a pool of water, 
          the flint into a spring of water.

Alernate response Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21

1b  “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; 
          horse and rider he has thrown into the sea. 
2   The LORD is my strength and my might, 
          and he has become my salvation; 
     this is my God, and I will praise him, 
          my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 
3   The LORD is a warrior; 
          the LORD is his name.

4   “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he cast into the sea; 
          his picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea. 
5   The floods covered them; 
          they went down into the depths like a stone. 
6   Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power — 
          your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy. 
7   In the greatness of your majesty you overthrew your adversaries; 
          you sent out your fury, it consumed them like stubble. 
8   At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up, 
          the floods stood up in a heap; 
          the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea. 
9   The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, 
          I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. 
          I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’ 
10  You blew with your wind, the sea covered them; 
          they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11  “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? 
          Who is like you, majestic in holiness, 
          awesome in splendor, doing wonders?”

20Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. 21And Miriam sang to them: 
     “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; 
          horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”

Second Reading Romans 14:1-12

1Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. 4Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

5Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 6Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God.

7We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. 8If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

10Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11For it is written, 
     “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, 
          and every tongue shall give praise to God.” 
12So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

Gospel Matthew 18:21-35

21Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. 

23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”