Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

the Rev. Phil Brochard The sermon argues that forgiveness is essential to both the nature of God and the life of Christian community. Beginning with Francis of Assisi's addition of pardon to the Canticle of the Creatures, it presents forgiveness as something as fundamental as the rest of creation. Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant makes the point through an enormous contrast: a servant forgiven an impossibly large debt refuses to forgive a much smaller debt owed to him. God's extraordinary mercy toward us calls us to extend mercy to others. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting harm, permitting abuse, or pretending wrongdoing did not occur. Rather, it means relinquishing revenge and refusing to hold another person's debt forever. It may require considerable time and patience. Ultimately, the sermon insists that a community not grounded in forgiveness is not grounded in God, because the mercy we give reflects the mercy we have received.