Sabbath and Forgiveness
Crossposted at My Left Wing
I have a busy day ahead of me. Today we are having a belated birthday get-together for Daughter*in*Ohio--we are *not* calling it a party, as Demetrius has reminded her on several occasions. But there are last minute things to pull together, and we have to get the timing to work so that I can be on time for my class tonight.
While searching for something Dominic Crossan said about the purpose of Sabbath (I know that he tied it in with social justice) I found this:
Honor/Shame
I've heard talk in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina about forgiveness meaning that we shouldn't talk about who's responsible for some of the decisions that left so many, especially so many of the poor, the elderly, and the disabled, to suffering and death. That's not what forgiveness is.
Forgiveness doesn't say, "it's like it never happened" -- that's amnesia.
Forgiveness doesn't say, "well, nobody could have expected you to do any better" -- that's condescension.
Forgiveness accepts both that the other person is capable of moral action and that the actions for which you are extending forgiveness were immoral. Both of those things are crucial, as forgiveness is meant to call both parties to reconciliation -- that renewed relationship between persons who accept moral responsibility and who have dedicated themselves to uphold the other person as a moral agent, a person who is both capable of and called to give and receive love.
In other words, forgiveness puts demonizing the other person out of bounds. Forgiveness is grounded in acknowleding shared humanity (or personhood, which would be a more appropriate term with respect to how God the Father forgives us), shared moral agency, and demonizing another person denies that person's moral agency, denying not only their fitness for being loved, but also their potential to love others, and behave in a moral manner toward others. Demonizing others usually happens, I've observed, in attempts to "hold their feet to the fire," but it has the opposite effect; in suggesting that the others are incapable of moral action, it lets them off the hook. I often think that's something like what St. Paul had in mind when he said that by loving, forgiving, and serving our enemies, we "heap burning coals upon their heads" (Romans 12:30). And if wanting to heap burning coals on someone else is the only motivation we can come up with for forgiving them -- and in so doing, inviting them to live as reconciled and reconciling people alongside us -- then that'll do.
That is from Dylan's lectionary blog, aka SarahLauged.net. I am definitely bookmarking that site.
Anyway, looking at my schedule for today, I realized that actually physically *going* to church would, far from being a period of "rest and renewal", actually make the day more hectic. So I am honoring the spirit of the Sabbath by staying home this morning. In a little while, I'll make some cookies for this afternoon with my daughter. I'm sure I consider that a form of worship somehow. For anyone who hasn't seen it, it's simple IF you ignore the complexity has a regular Sabbath feature:
Sabbath.
A place of rest, renewal, of delight.
It’s a place of “reasons for living.” - a "cool place."
Take a deep breath, hear music that is restful to you, put on some tea or cocoa, pull up a comfortable chair and enjoy the company of friends.
It is good that we are together this Sabbath time , I’m glad you’re here – what do you have to share today?
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