Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
This is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be practiced in his name for all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
—Luke 24.46-47
Yes, I changed, it, didn’t I? Luke says repentance and forgiveness are to be “proclaimed” or “preached.” That suggests our work is to tell people they should repent and be forgiven. But they don’t need any more people telling them to change their ways. They need people to show them how. They need us to practice repentance, to turn to God, and to turn to God again, and yet again to return. They need us to practice forgiveness, to forgive all their sins, all of them, as absolutely and unconditionally as God does. In forgiveness, letting go and turning to God, we embody resurrection and make it real. Resurrection doesn’t happen as long as we hold on to sins and wrongdoing, or judgment or bitterness about them. Resurrection happens when we allow ourselves and others to start anew. When we set aside our demands and expectations and just love, Christ is risen indeed. The only way to preach Christ and proclaim resurrection is to love. We proclaim resurrection throughout the world by practicing repentance and forgiveness.
May the Risen Christ daily raise us from our tombs of shame, regret and judgment, and set us free. May the living Christ return us every moment to the arms of God.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
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