"The Power of Forgiveness" - Luke 7:36-47 - June l4, l998

Jo Claire Hartsig tells the story about nine-year-old Bess Sannino who had her home broken into. (from Stone Soup for the World by Marianne Larned) Her Virginia Beach home was vandalized and some of her favorite personal items were stolen. The home was also pelted with raw eggs and graffiti was sprayed on the garage door. The family was in shock and their first reaction was to get revenge. Bess and her mother, Grace, wrestled with whether or not to call the police. The kids were from the neighborhood and Grace called one of the fathers of a suspected teen. He encouraged them to work with the police to teach the youth a lesson.

With the help of a compassionate police officer and parents of the youth all four of the burglars were identified. One single parent worked two jobs and another was consumed with her husband’s illness. Bess’ family, the police and the parents of the teens all agreed to avoid criminal charges. Instead there were curfews placed on the youth and they had to pay back the family for all the damage. They also returned the stolen goods. This diffused Bess’ anger but she still felt unsettled about the matter.

She decided to throw a party, "a forgiveness party," she called it. She invited all the youth and their parents. It was a huge success. Bess made a piñata. She decorated the house with balloons and lights. It became a celebration. The anger and shame in the neighborhood was turned into understanding and forgiveness. Enemies became friends.

Did you ever think of throwing a "forgiveness party?" Imagine the courage it must have taken for Bess and her family to throw a party for the youth who broke into their home. It made a monumental difference in her community. When it comes to people who violate us our first reaction is to get even. Or, at the very least see them punished. That is because it is far more easier to judge than to forgive.

Jesus was at a "forgiveness party" (of sorts) too. He was invited to the home of Simon, a Pharisee. This however, was not a party to forgive sinners. Instead, it was a dinner party interrupted by a sinner. It seems that this "woman of the city," most likely a prostitute, appeared at the party and acknowledged Jesus by kissing his feet and anointing them with oil with her hair. Simon immediately judged the woman a sinner. Jesus, however responded by telling a parable about a creditor who forgave his debtors. Jesus then describes what a beautiful thing the woman had done and said to her, "your sins are forgiven."

The dinner party became a forgiveness party. Jesus confronted Simon with his hardness of heart then demonstrated what true forgiveness is all about. He also forgave the woman for her sins. What Bess Sannino did with her "forgiveness party" was similar to what Jesus modeled at the home of the Pharisee. Forgiveness brings people together. Forgiveness heals. Forgiveness is the reciprocal of love.

It could be that the woman was paying homage to Jesus because of experiencing forgiveness at an earlier time. Did Jesus forgive her because she loved much? Or did she love much because she was forgiven? It’s kind of a chicken/egg thing. Does it matter which really comes first? I believe not. For me it is clear that Jesus is demonstrating that love and forgiveness are closely linked.

Simon answered correctly when Jesus asked which debtor would love the creditor the most. He said it was the one who was forgiven the most. I believe that love and forgiveness are usually thought of as two separate actions rather than one in the same. By keeping them distinct we can make our love conditional. And how many believe that holding back forgiveness is a form of unlove? Probably no one. The parable, however is clear, love and forgiveness go hand in hand.

Simon had no trouble understanding that the greater one forgives the more he/she will be loved. That is the easy part. The one that got the bigger debt canceled should return the greater favor. We can all relate to this; bigger is greater, more is better. But, the woman who showed her admiration was totally disregarded, because she had a reputation. Simon had a real attitude problem. He was unable to forgive the woman or show any love for her.

Do we think that people who have sinned have no capacity for love? Apparently Simon thought that way. Jesus, on the other hand, acknowledged the woman’s love and as a result forgave her. Perhaps Simon had never experienced God’s grace. Or perhaps he had never accepted it. In any event Simon was the one who needs to understand the value of forgiveness. But, unless we see ourselves in the character of Simon we are just as blind to love and forgiveness as Simon was.

I believe that one of the reasons it is so difficult to grasp the power of forgiveness is because we are thinking in terms of some serious character flaws. You know, like pardoning a draft dodger or setting a convicted rapist free. The truth is that most of us hold back on forgiveness in subtle, indiscriminate ways. Simon was inhospitable, a trait we wouldn’t consider all that serious. It was however significant since Jesus confronted Simon with his lack of hospitality. "You gave me no water, no kiss, nor did you anoint my fee with oil," Jesus said.

What Simon had was a lack of "party spirit." He failed to decorate the house with lights and balloons. He didn’t put up a piñata. I attended the Strawberry Festival in Troy, Ohio last weekend. There were thousands of people there. It was the biggest party of the year in that town. Just a few hundred yards away from the festival was a house that had about twenty parking spots. Only three cars were parked. We had parked just a few hundred yards further away and most people parked on the city streets. As I rounded the corner I noticed a sign that read, "Parking - $7.00."

This resident was exploiting that city’s biggest event of the year. Hundreds of people in wheelchairs, parents with strollers, people carrying little kids on their shoulders were passing by. Here was a great opportunity to show hospitality but instead the message was greed and self concern. Until attitudes change from greed to hospitality, forgiveness and love will be hard to find.

We find it by giving it, like the woman in the story. We experience the joy like little Bess did in her community with her neighbors by opening our homes and lives to known sinners. The message is clear; "he (or she) who forgives little, loves little and he (or she) who loves much, forgives much."

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio