There are many TV shows focused on revenge such as Game of Thrones. Revenge through violence is one theme that runs throughout the plots. For those of us who are honest about ourselves, we tune into this and other shows like it to witness the evil ones get their just desserts – in spades. We want to see and cheer revenge, and for the bad guys and gals to fall, and fall very hard. I’ll admit there are times when I’m one of those cheerleaders.
Many of us want those who have harmed us to be punished and to suffer the same way we have suffered at their hands. Understandable. Revenge is a powerful, difficult-to-resist motivation. It’s compelling and hard to resist like iron filings to a magnet. The expression revenge is sweet has a ring of truth to it for those of us wanting so-called justice – in other words, an eye for an eye. Moreover, revenge is a dish best served cold.
Revenge through terrorism haunts the world, and it hit us very hard 22 years ago on September 11, 2001. It was an example of the demons released through revenge. Today is September 17, and we should ponder the nature of our nation’s revenge leading to our invasion of Iraq and our war in Afghanistan.
There were 2,402 United States military deaths in the 20-year war and involvement in Afghanistan ending in 2021. 20,713 American service-members were wounded in action during that war. Our Church seats about 1,000 people. So about 21 full-capacity CTK’s were injured and most very seriously. That doesn’t count the number having been wounded and crippled mentally and spiritually.
Because seeking revenge is so compelling and devastating, our first reading from the Book of Sirach has special meaning that we must take to heart. It tells us to do that which may seem impossible – forgive great injustices or wrongs. It gives us reasons why.
The author tells us that: (1) “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight; (2) Forgive your neighbor's injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven; (3) Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; and (4) remember the Most High's covenant, and overlook faults.” Now that sounds like Jesus speaking about forgiveness. How so? Let’s turn to our Gospel reading from Matthew to find out.
Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but 77 times…Each of you must forgive your brother from your heart.”
Ever wonder why we must forgive 77 times? Most of us find it difficult to forgive even once, never mind 7 or 77 times. Jesus’ point is that there should be no limit to the number of times we must be willing to forgive those who have offended us.
The number 7 and then 77 have surprising biblical meanings. In the Old Testament they refer to the number of times we should seek revenge. Matthew cleverly turns these times for revenge into times for forgiveness. How?
Matthew referred to the Book of Genesis to get the 7 and 77. We all know the story of Cain and Abel – Adam and Eve’s sons. After Cain killed his brother Abel, and God passed sentence on that crime, God said, “If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold.” God seems to be promoting revenge, not mercy and forgiveness.
Then, the story of Cain and Abel continues with little known characters Lamech and his wives. Lamech said: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my utterance: I have killed a man for wounding me, a boy for bruising me. If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-seven fold.” This is where the number 77 was picked, and again it stresses revenge.
But let’s not forget that men said those biblical words claiming that God was the speaker. The word of men is sometimes passed off as the Word of God, and that has caused a world of trouble over the ages, including right now in our times. The Word of God is about forgiveness, not revenge.
Some us you may be thinking right now: “Easy for you to say. We are told to forgive, but there offenses or hurts so grave, so great that forgiveness is unthinkable.” Yes, so it seems, but we all must consider the following before giving up on forgiveness.
The famous Christian author C.S. Lewis in his book “The Great Divorce’ pictured hell as a vast, gray city inhabited only at its outer edges. There are rows and rows of empty houses in the middle. They are empty because everyone who once lived in them quarreled with the neighbors and moved, and quarreled with the new neighbors and moved on and on until there was no one left. That, says Lewis, is how hell got so large. People chose distance over dealing with one another and learning to forgive.
Here’s a Chinese proverb: “If you are not willing to forgive, you’d better get ready to dig two graves.” Like Matthew let's shift from revenge to forgiveness. We may have to forgive 77 times, perhaps more. Jesus tells us to just keep trying. If not, we might as well get those shovels and dig those graves.
I end with a fable from Aesop. A countryman's son by accident trod upon a serpent's tail, which turned and bit him so that he died. The father in a rage got his axe, and pursuing the serpent, cut off part of its tail. So, the serpent in revenge began stinging several of the farmer's cattle and caused him severe loss.
Well, the farmer thought it best to make it up with the serpent, and brought food and honey to the mouth of its lair, and said to it: "Let's forget and forgive; perhaps you were right to punish my son, and take vengeance on my cattle, but surely I was right in trying to revenge him; now that we are both satisfied why should not we be friends again?"
"No, no," said the serpent; "Take away your gifts; you can never forget the death of your son, nor I the loss of my tail." Moral: Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten.
And that’s the point – why we need to forgive 77 times. Forgetting is nearly impossible. We have to keep forgiving. Forgiveness can lead to greater psychological well-being, less anxiety, less stress and hostility, lower blood pressure, fewer symptoms of depression, and lower risk of alcohol and substance abuse. Forgiveness is a prescription for good health no doctor can provide.
Jesus said each of us must forgive our brother and sister from our heart 77 times. Forgiving from our hearts is darn hard when our hearts are broken and bleeding. Many of us have those damaged hearts. So, let’s keep forgiving to slowly heal our hearts.
Deacon David Pierce
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