Forgive me, a sinner. “God forgives, and I forgive”.

And thus we begin our Lenten journey in the Eastern Orthodox faith. At the end of our Sunday liturgy, we ask forgiveness of each member of our congregation and they mutually ask forgiveness from us. It’s a humbling and emotional time, one that’s been discussed in the homely by our priest, Father Methodios, as one of the pillars of our Lenten journey.

We’re familiar with fasting, prayer, and almsgiving as three of the struggles we’ll have over the next 40-plus days, but this year Father Methodios wants us to especially concentrate on forgiveness. Something not easy to do in this crazy world today. The gospel reading is from St. Matthew (6:14—21), where Jesus tells his disciples you must forgive others or you will not be forgiven. They’re reminded to fast privately and not make a big deal about eliminating meat, fish, dairy, eggs, wine, and oil for most of the journey. And we’re reminded to give alms by remembering that we shouldn’t worry about laying up treasure in this life…or treasure is in heaven.

Father Josiah Trenham gave an amazing reflection on forgiveness and loving one’s neighbor just recently that drives forgiveness home. Intitled HATRED, he reflects on how easy it is in this world to hate people rather than sin. We can certainly hate the harm someone does, for example, to little children or innocent people, but we should be careful that that hatred doesn’t carry over to the person committing the crime. After all, we’re all made in the image and likeness of God, Genesis 1:26-27, and nothing God creates is worthy of hate.

What????

That’s right, by hating a fellow human being I am falling into the deceiver’s trap. We in the Eastern Church view sin as the Greeks translated it, as “missing the mark”. We see someone missing the mark of being a total human being in full communion with God as being ill, not cursed. We see the church as a hospital, not a courtroom. We see Christ as a physician as well as a judge. We further see the judgment Christ gives as the one we place on ourselves by turning our back on God. A God I might add who is ever ready to forgive us and bring us back into communion. See the parable of the prodigal son (St Luke 15:11-32). Besides, who am I to judge another? Only God has that right. In fact, it’s so ingrained in Orthodoxy that we remind ourselves we are the first among sinners before each communion.

Forgive me, a sinner.

So now is where I ask each and every one of you reading this today. If I have touched you in my life or you have touched me, please forgive any transgression I may have made against you. If you have hated me or I have hated you for some reason, please forgive me. And I pray or Lord do not let anyone who I have known, who has known me, touched me in my life or I have touched in my life parish because of me, a sinner.

Finally, Lord help me to see me and love me as You see me and love me; and Lord help me to see others and love others as You see and love them.

God Bless.

keith

I’m officially retired after over 40 years of working with the US military in one way or another. My bride of 45 years and I settled into a nice home in Fredericksburg, Texas, USA, and are enjoying the many events, organizations, and attractions the Texas Hill Country has to offer. I enjoy urban sketching, watercolor painting, dabble in writing, and do an occasional voice acting gig.

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