Forgive Them
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”.
I always heard this as a prayer in the moment…forgive them for killing me, betraying us, for they do not understand what they are doing.
And it is for this moment, but the prayer of absolution is much more than just this moment in time when humanity kills its creator.
Jesus is praying, ‘Forgive them all, for all of it.’
Forgive the criminals beside me.
Forgive the crowds who deride me.
Forgive the priests who wag their head and say, ‘let him save himself’
Forgive the soldiers who divide my garments like that is my whole worth
Forgive the ones who mock and beat me
Forgive the people who cried out ‘Crucify him’
Forgive Pilate and Herod who sentenced me to death
Forgive Peter who denied knowing me
Forgive dear Judas who betrayed me
Forgive my friends who fled and left me alone.
It is all this and more
Forgive the Pharisees and Sadducees who turn the law and religion into bonds of slavery
Forgive the Romans who oppress the people and love power
Forgive the Greeks who worship wisdom and rhetoric above all else
Forgive them all for all of it.
Forgive the kings for ruling with injustice
Forgive the priests who devoured the sheep and led the people astray
Forgive the false prophets who led others to idolatry
Forgive the nation who wanted a king like Saul and not a king like you
Forgive the people who gave into fear and did not enter the Promised Land
Forgive Moses for his failures
Forgive Jacob for his deceptiveness
Forgive Abraham who took matters into his own hand rather than placing them in yours
Forgive Noah for his feebleness
Forgive Cain for taking his brother’s life out of jealousy
Forgive Adam and Eve for their mistrust and lack of faith in you.
Forgive those who remember my death and those who have gone before them as the church, forgive them all for all their sins.
…and all three hours his silence cried for mercy on the souls of men…
A prayer of universal absolution…
“Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
They do not know any better. They do not know us.
They do not know our love for them. They simply do not know.”
From the beginning of creation God has been demonstrating his deep love for us but we have repeatedly failed either to grasp or accept it. Finally, God sent his only beloved son into the world, the incarnate one, God with us. Still we did not understand. And so here we are today, at this moment, standing at the foot of the cross.
All the other words Jesus spoke this day from the cross, only make sense in light of this one, ‘Forgive them for they do not know what they do’.
Each word, a word of divine and steadfast love.
Seven times he spake, seven words of love
And all three hours his silence cried
For mercy on the souls of men
Jesus, our Lord is crucified.
To this final act of incomparable love, we are now invited to bear witness… greater love has no one than this, that he lay down is life for his friends… ‘It is finished and now Father into your hands I commit my spirit’ and with that he breathed his love.
Good Friday is nothing more and nothing less than the single greatest act of love the world will ever know.
O love of God, O sin of Man!
In his dread act your strength is tied,
and victory remains with Love:
Jesus, our LORD is crucified.
Amen