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