Clergy from left, Deacon Amy Schmuck, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired, The Rev. Mary Ann Hill and The Rev. Lynn Finnegan. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com

By Deacon Cynthia Z. Biddlecomb,
M.Div. (ELCA)

Perhaps the best example of forgiveness and reconciliation is Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son, found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15. After squandering his inheritance on dissolute living, the renegade son finds himself impoverished and starving. Distraught, he decides he must humble himself and return to his father; he realizes that he would have food to eat as even a lowly servant in his father’s household,. What he does not expect or even deserve is the tearful welcome his father gives him when he approaches the house.

Partnered with this story, in this Sunday’s lectionary, are three, additional, dramatic examples of true reconciliation. In Joshua 5:9-12 we read how the third generation of wandering Israelites, humbled by God’s fulfilled promise, recommit themselves to the Lord after finally being led out of the wilderness. In Psalm 32 the writer tells how he was reconciled to God: “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Then in the fifth chapter of Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians we read, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see everything has become new.” Paul continues: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself in Christ, …that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them….” 

“Reconciliation” has been a compelling theme for our ecumenical Lenten Program this year. (Join us from 4:00 to 6:00pm Sunday at First United Methodist Church!) As we have read, to be reconciled means to humble oneself, admit to ourselves where we were wrong, and show forgiveness to one another. Reconciliation restores relationship. Once reconciled to one another, trust has a hope of re-growing. With trust beginning to be restored, we can return to community with one another, where there is welcome for the wayward.

But first we must look for the humility within ourselves to honestly confess iniquity. As we see in those who seem unable to ever admit that they are wrong, humility does not come easily. For this reason, Psalm 32, verse 9, adjures the reader, “Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.” Once we humble ourselves to admit we were wrong, we find that, “…steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.” (Ps.32:10b)

As the first verse of the psalm states: “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven… Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, in whose spirit there is no deceit.” This Lent, let us seek to be reconciled to the Lord and to one another. Amen