The First Word
By Rev. Helen Harper, St Peter’s Episcopal Church, Niagara Falls, NY

“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

Jesus taught the disciples to love their enemies and to pray for those who abuse them, and even from the cross he practiced what he preached.  Consider how you would respond if someone were torturing you.  Some of us would suffer in silence, others would cry out in pain.  A few of us might shout insults at those inflicting pain.  But on the cross, Jesus didn’t do any of these things.  Instead, he prayed this:  Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.  We shouldn’t be surprised Jesus was capable of such a prayer because earlier he told his disciples they should love their enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.  So now…on the cross…he is practicing what he had preached.  Jesus’ prayer from the cross does something wonderful for us.  His prayer assures us that as terrible as our sins might be.  If Jesus could forgive the people who were killing him, how much easier must it be for him to forgive our sins great or small.