Forgiveness Prayer

We have just celebrated “All Saints Day” on November 3. It is a time to remember the saints that have died and the saints that have died and risen anew in the waters of baptism over the past year. Sometime in remembering, we realize we forgot to forgive them. Perhaps you are struggling to forgive someone in your current life.

St. Matthew writes in chapter 18: 20-22: Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. It is hard at times to forgive once, and even harder to forgive many times.

Sometimes the forgiveness is actually for ourselves! Here is a suggestion for a forgiveness prayer:

Thinking of someone you want to forgive, breathe a simple prayer:

Lord, help me see him or her as You do.
I cannot forgive this person. Please enable me to forgive.
______(insert name), I bless you and release you to the Holy Spirit.
Lord, you have forgiven me. Help me to forgive myself.

It may take many times of doing this breathing prayer. It might even take 77 times! Forgiveness brings the Kingdom of God to us here on earth.

Please join us for Sunday service at 10:45. Christmas will be here sooner than we think and we hope you will visit our Nativity Walk in December and join us for a candlelight service Christmas Eve.

Blessings to you this week, Deacon Nancy Trimble