Tiles for America began on September 12, 2001. This 9/11 memorial fence is in front of St. Vincent’s Hospital at 7th Avenue and 11th Street in New York City.
Text study for Genesis 50:15-21 and Matthew 18:21-35
Lectionary texts for September 11, 2011
As a New Yorker, I can’t help but commemorate the anniversary of 9/11. Contexts differ, but what happened here has impacted us all in ways that bear reflection, and our readings come to help in our weakness.
We live in a world with increased fears — of terror, of strangers, of immigrants. Our wars have converted the loss of almost 3,000 lives into losses of hundreds of thousands and counting and consumed massive economic resources in a time of economic distress.
Sunday’s texts speak to God’s inexhaustible forgiveness and our response. Genesis and Matthew address in-house reconciliation. Peter asks about forgiveness between church members, Joseph forgives the betrayal of his own brothers.
Our churches and families are unmatched schools for us to practice and grow in what it means to forgive one another as we have been forgiven. That’s hard enough, but God also sends us as ambassadors of reconciliation for all of the world.
Borderless compassion
After the devastation of 9/11, I remember how the usual limits of family and tribe broke open on 9/12. There was communal outrage against the violence and borderless compassion for the tragic losses.
I’ll never forget the cards, letters, visits and donations from all over the country and around the globe.
That solidarity was short-lived. I remember visiting a man who survived but lay charred almost beyond recognition. His wife and I prayed at his bedside. She didn’t want our rage to hijack our best values. She prayed for peace. Are not each of our readings a cry from God’s heart for “shalom”?
I am inspired by the Genesis verse: “Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good…” I do not take this to mean that God intended the evil that befell Joseph when his brothers cast him into the pit anymore than God intended the evil pit of Ground Zero.
Rather, could it be that God intends and enables good to rise up in the wake of betrayal and horror?
I think we must confess that we have not always responded according to this intent. We have allowed terror to beget terror, revenge and hate.
As churches, we know how to rise up to do great good when disaster strikes, but we are often silent and passive in the face of policies and prejudices that bring their own disasters. Which is harder: to forgive or to humbly examine our own need for forgiveness? Thanks be to God whose steadfast love and mercy can still redeem our life from every pit!
Talkback:
- How do you experience God’s peace in the wake of disaster and terror?
- Have you seen God’s mercy and reconciliation rise up in the last 10 years as a response to the tragedy of 9/11?
- For what conflicts and prejudices do you pray? How can God’s mercy and compassion flow through your life in response to your prayers?
Heidi Neumark is the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church of Manhattan and the author of “Breathing Space: A Spiritual Journey in the South Bronx.” She has served in urban ministry for the past 28 years.
I so totally agree that forgiveness and love are the most important part of our lives as the arms and legs of christ. It is interesting to me though that the church can encourage forgiveness in mass wrong like this but aren't as understanding with their own members. Lutherans have long been the open minded and giving of the world so when I moved to Illinois I was soooo excited to become part of them.
All it brought me was a place I was judged and that caused me to question religion itself as not genuine.
Penny,
You are not alone.
I have experienced what you have as well. In the quietness of my home when I examine just who this is and do they represent the church at large. It is a resounding no. There are others in your congregation that will give you grace beyond measure and accept you as you are warts and all. I do agree that the Lutheran church needs to intentionally deal with those members who insist on ways and means that are not in line with the gospel Christ gave us. I suspect it began as a well intended tradition that some where along the way has lost its meaning and connection to grace. It begins as always with prayer. I pray for those who lack compassion and understanding. I pray for those who have the gifts of the Spirit and that they will come forward and be heard. I stand exactly where you are in judgement and questioning religion. What I have determined is that the judgement is not from God and there is a vast difference between religion which is cultural and spirituality which is from God. It is Christ who we follow and following Christ will cause conflict within and without because we are of this world. Follow Christ and the rest will take care of itself.
The church is God's field sown with good seed yet the evil one has also sown weeds in it. That's the way it's always been and that's the way it will always be until the end of the age. You won't find a congregation of true, pure saints anywhere. I think that's why Jesus gave his church the commandment to love one another, to forgive one another, to bear with one another, to cover a multitude of sins; AND to confront and restore those who have trespassed. It's hard work being in and being a part of the body of Christ.
Where is the repentence? Isn't that necessary for this discussion?
Repentance is the feeling of sorrow and regret for what you have done. King David repents after his adultery and murder, praying "a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise," (Psalm 51.17; nrsv). The disposition and inclination of our hearts is hardly under our control. God inclines them to sorrow and regret... or hardens them. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me," (Psalm 51.10; nrsv).
We're talking about forgiveness, but leaving out the repentance. At best, there's an unspoken 'you need to repent'. If we learn any lesson from Sept 11, it's that we have been judged and found wanting. Just in case we missed that one, there've been a few hurricanes, too. Or look at the stock market.
Instead of looking to our 'need for forgiveness' or seeing a need for repentance in others, we need to look first to ourselves and come to repentance ourselves.