Today we are tasked with doing two things: love and forgive. I have found it hard to forgive people that have done me wrong. Actually, many times when we find it hard to forgive it is not rooted in what the person might have done to us. It is rooted in the fact that we would have loved them.
There was.a saying when I was younger that may friends would normally say which was "forgive and forget". Yet in our reading today Jesus does not want us only to forgive. He also wants us to love too. As we hear in our gospel acclamation "a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you". How can we love our neighbour this week? Can we think of someone we want to forgive? How can we reach out to them and extend that forgiveness and love?
SHORT SERVICE
ACTIVITY
SONG OF PRAISE
Loving and forgiving are You, O Lord; slow to anger,
rich in kindness, loving and forgiving are You.
(1)
All my being, bless the Lord, bless the holy name of God.
All my being, bless the Lord, remembering the goodness of God. (R)
(2)
God forgives us all our sins, healing those who live in pain;
Saving us from final death, God fills us with goodness and love. (R)
(3)
Good and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger, rich in love.
God remembers not our sin, forgiving and loving is God. (R)
(4)
As heaven soars above the earth, so great the love of God for us.
As far as east is from the west, the Lord takes our sins from us. (R)