How quick are you to forgive people who have hurt your feelings, offended you, lied about you, falsely accused you, said things about your husband or wife, your child or your closest friend that have really upset you? Are you as ready to say ‘O God, heal them, Father bless them, touch them’—or are you still holding on to your pain or resentment?
In 1945 the world was brought face to face with the horrific scenes of the Nazi concentration camps through newsreels and the printed media. Nail marks are still visible in the gas chamber walls of Auschwitz concentration camp where Jews had tried to claw their way out of the suffocating death chambers into which they were herded. After arriving on the trains from the ghettos or other places and being gassed, their hair was cut off and used to stuff cushions. If their teeth had any gold fillings they were wrenched out with pliers–if there were any tattoos on their skin, the skin was carefully peeled off to make lamp shades–if there was any fat on their body at all, which was most unlikely, the fat was taken to make soap and then their bodies were incinerated into ash and sold for fertilizer. From arriving off the train to the point where their ash was available as fertilizer took a mere one and a half hours.
The words that follow are from a prayer that was found in the clothing of a dead child at Ravensbruck concentration camp.
O Lord, remember not only the men and woman of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all of the suffering they have inflicted upon us: Instead remember the fruits we have borne because of this suffering, our fellowship, our loyalty to one another, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown from this trouble. When our persecutors come to be judged by you, let all of these fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness.
Nailed to the cross, Jesus cried out–Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.
The cross of Jesus–amazing love, how can it be that you my God should die for me? . . . but because you have–bold I approach the eternal throne and claim the crown through Christ my own.
From the New Zealand Prayer Book, page 576b:
God of infinite mercy, grant that we who know your pity may rejoice in your forgiveness and gladly forgive others for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior, who is alive with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.
