The Forgiving Face of Christ
Michele Kopp, OP
Last
month Dominican women and men from throughout the United States gathered to
ponder and explore creative ways to “break open the Word” and bring the
message of Jesus to life. We began with Peter’s question to Jesus, “Lord, if
my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?”
And Jesus answered, “ I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.”
Jesus gives us the standard of forgiveness and invites us to live it. He
challenges us, his followers, to “do more” because we live in a world of
broken relationships needing to be mended. Through forgiveness we learn how to
breathe again, to live life more fully.
In our discussion of Jesus’ standard of forgiveness, we experienced a powerful story of four of our own Dominican sisters and brothers who were fasting for peace at Ground Zero in New York. Their actions challenged us to consider options other than ‘retaliating in kind’. Their message, “there must be another way to peace than by waging war” sounded much like Jesus’ “seventy-seven times” of forgiveness. Using poetry, music, and dance to experience this same scripture, we were drawn deeper into Jesus’ invitation to forgiveness. We felt moved to be merciful, and not to withhold our compassion, acceptance and tolerance from others. We felt drawn to be the forgiving face of Christ.
This issue of the Edmonds Dominican brings us stories of our own sisters and associates who are pastoral ministers. They invite us to seek forgiveness and new life by being with and caring for those in prisons; being present to the homeless; assisting immigrants seeking freedom and peace within our US borders; empowering the poor and the marginalized; providing shelter and guidance for the orphaned. Our pastoral ministers in parishes invite us to forgiveness and new life by preparing children and adults for the reception of sacraments, visiting the sick and the elderly, praying with those in nursing homes, and studying the scripture which forms the basis of our Christian discipleship. Advocacy also invites to forgiveness and new life as our political and congregational ministers work for our common good as citizens and promote the Dominican mission.
These ministers encounter the vast diversity of the society in which we live. Their stories bring to us the richness and the sadness of our struggle to live in peace with one another, and invite us to live out our own invitation to forgiveness and new life.
Each of us is called into the story of forgiveness in our world. Jesus’ standard of forgiveness allows us to breathe deeply, to live fully once again. With forgiveness, Jesus shows us the way to wholeness, to empowerment, to create healing communities of loving presence and peace. His healing balm of forgiveness frees us to risk rubbing it on, massaging it in deeply, practicing it faithfully and passing it on. Where do I need to apply forgiveness in my life? From whom do I withhold compassion, acceptance and tolerance? Where will forgiveness bring fullness of life to me and to our world?
Table of Contents
Page 1 Message of the Prioress
Page 2 News of the Dominican Family
Page 3 Ann Patrick Deegan, OP
Page 4 Karen Hoven, Associate
Page 5 Sharon Park, OP
Page 6 Barbara Matteson, OP
Page 7 Fidelis Halpin, OP
Page 8 Intercommunity Volunteer Program
Page 9 Edmonds/Adrian: Our Journey ..
Page 10 The Preacher's Stand
Page 11 Barbara Bock, OP
Page 12 Kay Wejrowski, OP
Page 13 Angelica McGuire, OP
Page 14 Anna Kosenski, OP
Page 15 Tom Layden, Associate
Page 16 Mary Ann Quinlan, Associate
Page 17 Mary White, OP
Page 18 Mina Riggs, OP
Page 19 Ruth Ship-Dart, Associate
Page 20 Brenda Stratton, Associate
Page 21 Vespers Invitation and end page
