Third Sunday of Easter

Title

Resurrection Means Forgiveness

Outline

I can never forgive that . . . we should never forgive

We know that language and we know those feelings

I have had to struggle through the process of forgiveness

Just this week a graduate of a school at which I taught publicly accused an employee (probably a professor) of sexual assault

Time had not healed; she needed some acknowledgement to find healing - but the school had no policy

Likewise this week I heard of something similar about the Franciscan University of Steubenville

But forgiveness is possible, if only in the death and resurrection of Jesus

Our first reading speaks of the enormity of the crime

“you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Author of life”

There may be some mitigation (“I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers”) but the act itself is horrendous

All of our readings, however, speak of forgiveness in the risen Jesus

Acts says, “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”

1 John says, “if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” - notice the “we have” - he is alive and active

In the Gospel

Jesus first says, “Peace to you.” - peace to those who fled and abandoned him to his fate

Then, after indicating that he was alive and that both the evil and the resurrection were predicted, he indicates the purpose: “that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” - all nations, starting with Jerusalem where he was murdered

The message of the resurrection is that forgiveness is available through the risen Jesus for all who repent - change their mind to accord with the truth - and commit to the risen Jesus as Lord, which means obeying his teachings

We forgive when we place the matter, great or small, into the hands of Jesus, renouncing our claim to vengeance - this might be called personal forgiveness

That releases us and aligns us with Jesus’ attitude, but the offender still needs to deal with the Judge of All the Earth.

The offender is ontologically forgiven when they agree with Jesus’ view of the matter, renounce their former view (which justified it), and commit to following him as Lord (which the resurrection certified)

That is why a priest speaking in persona Christi pronounces forgiveness when he sees at least minimal evidence of those conditions being met

Our job is to announce this reality to the world: there is no need to live in vengeance and counter vengeance, in hatred and unforgiveness, for Jesus is the living Lord and he speaks forgiveness to all who admit their rebellion and pledge themselves to him - all, not just some

And, personally, we release all who have offended us, identifying our suffering with that of Jesus, and bringing our behavior into line with Jesus so that, as we share his resurrected character, we will also share his resurrected live.

Readings

First Reading

Acts 3:13–19 RSV2CE

The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name, by faith in his name, has made this man strong whom you see and know; and the faith which is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Epistle

1 John 2:1–5a RSV2CE

My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He who says “I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him:

Gospel

Luke 24:35–48 RSV2CE

Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

Notes