In her recent sermon, Vicar Allison Vincent-Beckman explores the story of the two women who came to King Solomon in a state of hurt, looking for a solution. She attributes names and extrapolates stories by which to try to understand them better and thereby understand why they acted and reacted as they did. One woman is sanctified by her willingness to sacrifice while the other remains hurt and lost. But both are alone, failed by their community. It is a reminder that “we have a responsibility to speak up for the widow, the orphan, and the alien in our land.”
Read MoreThere is a general perception about forgiveness that suggests when one is wronged to forgive also means to forget what happened and move on. This type of forgiveness is not what Paul describes in his letter to the Corinthians. Paul is the one who was hurt and pained and he does not simply forget it happened. For Paul, forgiveness requires a bringing to light of what happened. In order for true forgiveness to take place, there needs to be an element of confession of what has happened so all parties can move forward together.
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