Erased
It is reassuring to know we are saved from ourselves.
And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him- provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel. - Colossians 1;21-23
Imagine doing something horrible and having all knowledge of it erased, so neither you nor anyone else had any memory of it. Would that be a good thing?
In today’s reading, Paul talks about himself. He had done wrong and was saved, and now has good news to tell others. They too can be saved from their own evil ways.
But what makes it all work, I think, is the memory of having done the things that are wrong. Knowing is vital to healing.
Sure, it would be great if we could erase the deed completely, or even if we could have others not know about it, or not remember it. That would make it easier for us to get ourselves back on track.
But it doesn’t work that way. We have to show remorse for others to believe we are worry for what we did. While God can forgive us, people can’t forget.
Today we will visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial and lay a wreath for all who died on D-Day and in the following battles during World War II.
We will remember what they did and how they died, and we will not want to forget.
In today’s reading we are reminded by Paul, that he once persecuted innocent people and put them to death for their belief, and after seeing Jesus, he repented. He went on to become a leader in the Church and a leader of our faith.
Could we come to believe in others who do what he had done?
The atrocities of war are hard to forget and that is a good thing. But they are memories that do not keep us from moving forward, to accept the hand of friendship from the same people we had fought years before.
As I ready myself for this visit today, I pray that this world is getting better, not worse, that all of us can and will live in peace.
So many died for us to live.
Shouldn’t we try?
More to come...