With thanks to St Paul’s Cathedral Adult Learning for these weekly reflections throughout Black History Month.
Alexandra Drakeford reflects on the philosophy of Martin Luther King.
I always admired Dr King’s infinite capacity to forgive. He received constant death threats, had his home bombed, was brutally stabbed, arrested, and beaten, and still found it within his heart and soul to forgive those who harmed him.
Dr King refers to Peter, who would ask Jesus– ‘How often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?’ Perhaps seven times?’ Peter tried to quantify forgiveness, but forgiveness cannot be measured or counted. It is not put in a cup that can run dry.
Forgiveness is like a river. It is an abundant source that refreshes the hearts and souls of the victim and the perpetrator.
We think that forgiveness is a one-way street as if it were up to one person to forgive and move on. But forgiveness is a shared process. It is not something we give and get, but something we experience and participate in. Forgiveness sets both the victim and the perpetrator free.
To Dr King, ‘Forgiveness is a permanent attitude’. It is not an act that stops at seven or even seventy times. “It does not mean ignoring what has been done. It means the evil act is no longer a barrier to the relationship.”
Dr King specifically says the evil act rather than the evil person. The barrier is the lack of separation between the evil act and the person. Eventually, we can find ourselves meshing the two and saying, ‘the evil person.’ But agape reminds us to separate the two, as “no one is out of reach from God’s love” – and that includes those who harm us.
Dr King understood that a lack of forgiveness would leave us all stuck in bitterness. But ‘Forgiveness is a catalyst creating the atmosphere for a fresh start and new beginning.’ And that new beginning, the new atmosphere will lead us into the Beloved Community.
Bible verse and questions
Questions written by The Revd Canon Adéọlá Eleyae, which you are welcome to use by yourself or as a group.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
- In Matthew 18:21-35 Jesus responded to Peter’s question about forgiveness with a parable. What does it mean to “forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”?
- What kind of things prevent us from forgiving people?
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