Forgiven

By Joseph Murdy

Forgiveness in our day and age is not a daily conversation piece. We don’t typically say to the guy who cut us off at the light, “I know your probably in a hurry, I forgive you.” We don’t often use the words, “I forgive you.” We also don’t often say to ourselves, “you are forgiven.” I have been thinking about forgiveness a lot lately. Namely how I don’t deserve it, and I don’t extend it to others often enough either. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt that no matter how much you plea, pray or beg, you will never be forgiven? Have you ever said to yourself, “God could never forgive me for that thing I did?” If you have ever found yourself thinking or feeling this way, do I have a GOD for you!!!!

I recently explained to someone that I was struggling with feeling forgiven and accepting God’s forgiveness. I even went as far as to say, “I don’t believe in it…forgiveness that is.” What a sad moment that was, to admit openly that I didn’t believe in forgiveness. As quickly as it came out of my mouth I realized why I felt that way. I didn’t feel I deserved to be forgiven. This is the truth, and it is true for all of us. We have a God who loves us unconditionally no matter what…no matter what…no matter what! Nothing can separate us from God’s love, not sin, not death, nothing. We don’t deserve to be forgiven, true. But because of Jesus, we are forgiven unconditionally through the Grace of God.

I read a story not too long ago from a great book called, The Ragamuffin Gospel it went something like this:

Four years ago in a large city in the far West, rumors spread that a certain Catholic woman was having visions of Jesus. The reports reached the archbishop. He decided to check her out. There is always a fine line between the authentic mystic and the lunatic fringe.

“Is it true, m’am, that you have visions of Jesus?” asked the archbishop. “Yes,” the women replied simply. “Well, the next time you have a vision, I want you to ask Jesus to tell you the sins that I confessed in my last confession.” The woman was stunned. “Did I hear you right, Bishop? You actually want me to ask Jesus to tell me the sins of your past?” “Exactly, please call me if anything happens.” Ten days later the woman notified her spiritual leader of a recent apparition. “Please come,” she said. Within the hour the archbishop arrived. He trusted eye-to-eye contact. “You just told me on the telephone that you actually had a vision of Jesus. Did you do what I asked?”

“Yes, Bishop, I asked Jesus to tell me the sins you confessed in your last confession.” The Bishop leaned forward with anticipation. His eyes narrowed. “What did Jesus say?” She took his hand and gazed deep into his eyes. “Bishop,” she said, “these are his exact words: ‘I CAN’T REMEMBER.’”

If you are anything like me, you probably read those last words and had to remind yourself to breath. You might also be thinking, “Really?!?” I am here to tell you that God does forgive you. Freely and entirely! The power of forgiveness is incredible alone, but the knowledge of realizing that you yourself are truly forgiven...that is liberating. Thanks be to God, who forgives and forgets!