As we gather, we recognize that we live, work, pray, and play
in the traditional, unceded lands
of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves
to the work of reconciliation and relationship-building
with our First Nations neighbours.     

Call to Worship:

A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another
as I have loved you.

John 13.34

O, Come.   Let Us Worship.

Gathering

In this time and place
We gather on the ancestral lands of Kwakwake’wakw,
Nuu-chah-nulth and Coast Salish peoples.
From many places and peoples we come to this house in prayer.

In this time and place
We are not alone for we meet in the presence of the living God. 

In this time and place
We are not alone for the Risen Jesus stands in our midst.

In this time and space
We are not alone for the wind of the Spirit moves in and through us.

In this time and in this space
We are not alone for we gather with the whole company of heaven,

In this time and in this space heaven and earth are one. 

O Come. Let Us Worship.

Collect for Today

Almighty God,
Your call your Church to witness 
that in Christ we are reconciled to you.
Help us to so proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may turn to you; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:

Matthew 18. 21-35 

Sermon:  The Ven.  Brian Evans

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of
our hearts be ever acceptable to you, O Lord.  Amen.

" Forgiveness" 

Possibly the most difficult task in life.

Possibly the toughest task that Jesus commits each of us to engage in.     

This task is at the center of the Summary of the Law. Later in Matthew's Gospel we read these words:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” And “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

This is followed by:

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Those words are demanding. Those words are full of meaning that takes us beyond ourselves.

In the midst of life, the command to forgive is at the center of all life. Yet forgiveness--to forgive--is often far from our thinking. It has always been far from most of our thoughts; the result being that we turn to unforgiveness.

Unforgiveness hangs in the midst of our grudges and hurts we all hold onto.

To love the Lord your God is not about some "ethereal being" out there, somewhere in the world.

At the same time, this God is the person sitting beside you, or that you are sharing life with.

When we are able to give true forgiveness to the other, then we are loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind.

To look past the foibles of others and forgive.

Yet, easier to say than to do.

Forgiveness is hard work; to be able to move past those small things in others which annoy us. To move past, is to discover our own need to ask for forgiveness.

At the same time, our culture tells us that when we feel angry, when we resent others, we all forget the “F”-word.

Forgiveness seldom is among our first thoughts.

When we are bitter, or when we feel we have been wronged, the last thing we want to do is find a place of reconciliation. I am sure we have all had those moments when we can see others and think, “Well, they should forgive"--but do we, in the same circumstances?

Paul also has words of advice for us on this topic.

After speaking to the crowds about ethics in their behavior, Paul gives direction on how to live life within community. Paul says to us (from Romans)

14:7- We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves.
14:8- If 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.
14:9- For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
14:10- Why 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.
14:11- For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God."
14:12- So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

Then, the crux of forgiveness--as defined by Jesus.

Peter comes to Jesus and asks, 'how often should I forgive my neighbour, my father, my mother, my son, my …the list is endless?'

Jesus’ response, “No, not seven times, but I tell you seventy-seven times.

When in seminary, one of my most difficult tasks was to get past the idea of the "private confessional."

This past week, my clergy mentor and friend, Archbishop Bruce Staverton, died.

Bruce was more than just a friend; he was also my mentor and a very patient teacher in the unwritten diplomacy of being a parish priest.

While on internship with Bruce at St. Alban’s Cathedral, one of my tasks was to do a paper on "The Confessional." I needed to get past the 'Hollywood-classic' ideal of a confessional we see in the movie theatre.

When I asked Bruce about the idea of an assigned penitence of the classic 10 'Hail Mary’s' or 20 'Our Fathers', his explanation went like this: 'the ultimate goal of penitence is for the penitent to take time to think about what one has done, and how one may find forgiveness, or give forgiveness.'

In other words, an opportunity to let go of the disruptive feelings which keep us from a fruitful life; an opportunity to find our own inner peace--an inner peace which needs to find a way into our hearts, and into the hearts of others.

The Interpreter’s Bible Commentary says the reason Jesus suggests seventy-seven times is to suggest we should forgive so many times that we might not remember how many times we have forgiven.

We should always forgive those who are truly repentant, no matter how often they ask.

In conclusion:

1. Choose your forgiveness words, and be honest with them.

2. Remember: if you are angry, you cannot forgive. In other words, first, we must seek our forgiveness for self.

3. Once you are healthy within yourself, you then can take a reflection of the beauty first created within you by God.

4. Back to our own forgiveness. Taking stock of our own life this week is a commendable task we should all engage in.

I am reminded of the common reference to Confession and the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the Anglican Church today being: ‘All may, some should, none must.’

Archbishop Justin Welby has some compelling words for us on this topic of reconciliation:

In 2013, Archbishop Welby said, “the great sacrament of reconciliation.”

According to the report in the Daily Telegraph, he spoke of being part of a wider “catholic tradition,” adding: “I’ve learnt over the last 10 years about the great sacrament of reconciliation: confession."

"It is enormously powerful, and hideously painful when it’s done properly … it’s really horrible when you go to see your confessor – I doubt you wake up in the morning and think, this is going to be a bunch of laughs.”

Then he concludes, “It’s really uncomfortable. But through it God releases forgiveness and absolution, and a sense of cleansing.”

Andrew Davison of Westcott House, Cambridge, (who is one of the most compelling Anglican theologians today), writes in his recent book 'Why Sacraments?' that confession, rather than being understood in legalistic and moralistic terms, is an experience of grace--renewing us in our baptismal vocation.

Davison writes:

Confession is one of the most profound ways in which we can take the Christian moral life seriously. As a way to take stock of where we stand, and reach out urgently to God, for grace to make progress on the way to perfect likeness of Christ.  Confession is the ideal way to reconnect to baptism. By it, we submit to God’s salvation, taking the fullest possible hold upon us.

And so, in conclusion: Forgiveness is hard work, yet it is so worth it. By forgiveness we discover life.

Thanks be to God.

Amen. 

Let Us Pray

Remembering the caring and generous works of God, we pray for the Church, creation, and the needs of our neighbours.

Merciful God,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the Church.
We ask you to bless the mission and ministries of our diverse congregations; that we may all uplift the Good News of Salvation, in ways that can be understood.  

Merciful God,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for Creation.
Send rain to lands experiencing drought, and healing to rivers clogged with pollution. 
Enrich the soils for trees and plants. Protect crops needed to feed those who hunger .

Merciful God,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who govern.
Encourage those in positions of power to lead with empathy and practice forgiveness; and care for those who struggle.

Merciful God,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our neighbours who face illness of any kind;
for those strained financially; for all living with chronic pain; mental illness; the disease of addiction; or otherwise afraid, or in harms way.
In our parish, we pray for Roy and Gail; for Darrell and Sue; Roy; Jay; Sheila; Yasmin; Roberta; Joan; and those in our hearts.

Merciful God,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for this congregation.
Open our hearts to practice intentional invitation. Help us to forgive each other; practice patience; and choose love over judgement. Move us to care for those in our communities who are seeking refuge and safety. 

Merciful God,
Hear our prayer.

We give thanks for the saints who died in faith.
Show us how to live faithfully, creatively, and lovingly, in Your Church and World.

Merciful God,
Hear our prayer.

Remember us according to Your steadfast love as we offer these, and the prayers of our hearts, trusting in Your compassion made known through Jesus Christ. 

Merciful God,
Hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father:
You continue to remind us, that through the Red Sea, You released the chains of submission by the people in Egypt; and we need to come to know, deep and wide, the tide of Your unfailing love. May we continue to be guided by Your direction in our lives.  May we, as we are baptised and buried in  Your eternal life, learn to share Your truth in love and mercy. 

As our saviour taught us to pray, we say:

Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us fom evil.  
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
forever and ever.  Amen.

God of Peace,
May we truly understand that in this community of love,
we find reconciliation for each of our lives: 
reconciliation in You, and in our neighbours.
May we who have been nourished by Your Word,
and the life of living in Your created world,  
find courage to have forgiveness for all people. 
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.
Amen.

The Blessing: 

And the Peace of God, 
which passes all understanding, 
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge
of the love of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you, and remain with you, always. Amen.