Listen

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you don’t forgive them, they aren’t forgiven.”

John 20:21-23

Think

Sometimes we take the Golden Rule – treat others the way you would like to be treated – for granted. Jesus brought peace to the disciples and sent them to bring peace to others. He also taught them about the nature of forgiveness; we can’t wait for others to “earn” our forgiveness but are called to forgive as an act of love and healing. A good friend of mine says it this way, “forgiveness is about the forgiver.”

Forgiveness is HARD. Sometimes we are so angry at those who have hurt us that we feel like we can never forgive them. But in the same way that God forgives us when we make mistakes and hurt others whether or not we “deserve” it, the Holy Spirit invites us to renew our relationships with others by forgiving them. In this Easter season, how can you model love and light and forgiveness?

Heidi J. Kim

Pray

Loving God, let the Holy Spirit fill me with grace so that I can be a source of peace, compassion, and forgiveness. Thank you for forgiving me when I stumble, and help me to remember to forgive others when they do the same. Amen.

Go

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

You are beloved.

You are a peace bearer.

You are a light in the world for others.

God’s love for you is boundless, endless, and unconditional. Alleluia!