Letting go

Luke 17:1-6

            Letting go 

           Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, “I repent”, you must forgive.’

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you.

         There is a song from Avenue Q, an incredibly funny and educational broadway play, that says "The more you love someone, the more you want to kill them". The same concept is in the great movie Moonstruck where Olympia Dukakis asks Loretta (Cher) "Do you love him Loretta?" Cher says "I love him something awful". Finally Olympia says, "That's too bad. When you love them they drive you crazy because they know they can". It's true, love is difficult. The people you know the best know all the perfect ways to drive you crazy. It's as true for couples as it is for kids.  But do we end the relationship over some anger, a disagreement, a fight? We might even say in jest that we'd like to kill them but we would never because we really do love them. 

           This concept of repentance and forgiveness is a hallmark of God our father. It is somthing we are called to do with everyone but we seem to master only within our marriage, our kids and maybe extend that to other family members.

          We need to remember that God is the father (or mother) of us all and we are all called to forgive as God forgives us. I know that's easier said than done. If you don't want to look at it from that angle, realize what not forgiving does to you personally. I wrote the other day about not letting the past rule you. If you live in the past you will not be able to live in the present, to grow. The same is true if we do not forgive , we wind up living in the past. As my husband says, it's like letting someone live in your head rent free!

          I can't tell you exactly how to accomplish this important task of forgiveness. I can remind you that Jesus was able to forgive his crucifiers from the cross. John Paul forgave the man who shot him and I am not speaking of the sacrament of reconciliation. John Paul forgave the man.

         There is a section of scripture that says we should not come to the alter of God if a we have an outstanding grievance with someone.  If we are to come to Jesus, to God with an open, clear heart, we must be able to empty ourselves of hate, grudges and all ill will. God understands why you might feel that way but it is anathema to His being and the any relationship you wish to have with him.

      You must forgive. You must let go.