FORGIVENESS! 

SOUNDS GOOD ON PAPER! 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 17 Saturday in Ordinary Time  is, “Forgiveness! Sounds Good on Paper!”

Today’s first reading from Leviticus  25: 1, 8-17 sounds good on paper.

The book of Leviticus announces a Jubilee. Every 50 years the horn - the trumpet - shall sound, shall resound, shall echo and re-echo through the land of Israel. It’s a time of Jubilee  - a Day of Atonement - when everyone can get their land back - for a different price or a cheaper price than assumed - so too the cost of food - so too the cost of everything.

Slaves are to be freed. Debts are to be forgiven.

QUESTION

Does everyone need a time of forgiveness - when the slates are cleaned - when sins are erased - when hurts are loaded on barges and shipped out to the deepest part of the ocean and dumped - with rocks tied to them - so they will sink to the bottom of the ocean?

A JUBILEE YEAR FOR CATHOLICS

From time to time in the Catholic Church there have been Jubilee years. You might remember that the year 2000 - was called a Year of Jubilee - when doors in Rome were opened  - that had been sealed.

Jubilee years and jubilee celebrations were pretty much forgotten in the Catholic Church till Pope Boniface VIII called for the year 1300 to be a year of Jubilee. Indulgences were given. Forgiveness was stressed. Pilgrimages to Rome were called for.

They pretty much were called for at different times after that - sometimes every 50 years, sometimes 25 years. Pope Urban VI called for one every 33 years to make it like the length of Christ’s life.

What would it be like if the Catholic Church announced forgiveness of all sins - without having to go to confession - just get to Mass - and thank God for the forgiveness? Years back when churches announced “General Absolution” - churches were filled - till that was squelched.

I remember reading an “Uh oh!”  suggestion for the Jubilee Year of 2000: what would it be like if all those divorced - didn’t have to go through an annulment practice - just from this day on - you’re forgiven?

What would it be like to get a spiritual “Get out of Jail” free card?

Speaking of jails, because of costs and no money, I understand California is going to simply release lots of prisoners - soon.

SOUNDS GOOD ON PAPER

All this might sound good on paper for some, but the devil is in the details - and the implications.

Next - any of us  who have made serious mistakes - and have been forgiven - know how hard it is to actually be forgiven - in the reality of the heart?

As I was reading up on the Jubilee year - as mentioned in today’s reading from Leviticus, I noticed that different scholars have said that there is no evidence that this really ever happened - especially regarding land.

What would it be like to have someone knocking  on our door and saying, “We’re moving back - like right now.”

What would be like if farmers and merchants had to deal with giving the land a break - no planting and pruning for this year? It’s a jubilee year. Sounds good on paper?

CONCLUSION: THEN THERE’S REALITY

All of us know the reality of making a mistake - saying, “I’m sorry!” - hearing “You’re forgiven” and then a year or twenty years later the other brings back a past mistake - in a argument or discussion or conversation.

All of us know the reality of making a mistake and we’re the one who can’t forgive ourselves - like our whole lifetime.

Looking at today’s gospel - Matthew 14: 1-12, what would it be like to have been Herodias and her daughter - and Herod in today’s gospel who have John the Baptist killed - beheaded - and have his blood on their hands for the rest of their lives?

We go through life with our scars and our reminders of our mistakes. At some point we have to learn to let the blood of Christ heal us.

Forgiveness sounds good from the pulpit. Forgiveness sounds good on paper.