Selfless Apology

a verse or two

“Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.” John 17:11

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Selfless Apology

Haven't the media had fun with all the apologies this week. Woods, Toyota, our own government ministers just to name a few – sorry I can't remember the other names. When it is said so much the words “I'm sorry” start to lose significance. The spin doctors overloaded rhetoric causes doubt as to the genuineness, therefore begging the question if the apologies were for healing of the victim and the hurt done to them or the offenders tarnished reputation. Is it selfish or selfless apology? 

One of the more intriguing media comments this week was someone quoting John Wayne as having said “never say you're sorry.........it's a sign of weakness”. Did Jesus ever say sorry? I did a quick search for the word “sorry” on computerised Bible concordance. It seems the words never came from Jesus' lips. Jesus didn't apologise for being missing at the temple for 4 days when he was a child and he never said sorry when he cleared out the money changers. 

Think to Jesus' prayer for the disciples on the night of his betrayal (John chapter 17). If there was a time to apologise, it would have been this last night before his death. He didn't pray “guys I mucked up here and there...” Instead Jesus washed his disciples feet when they should have washed his, he forgave his betrayer, and offered a positive love filled prayer that was filled with hope for the disciples future. 

So was Jesus weak? No. Jesus didn't need to apologise because he was selfless, because he had compassion for people, loved people and because he and the Father were one. Perhaps if we can be one with the Father and each other, our need for apologies will instead turn to offerings of forgiveness. If we can learn the art of selflessness, the initial hurt won't happen in the first place. And, if the big players on the world stage learn to live selflessly, the hurt they cause won't happen either. 

God Bless,
Jon.

To Ponder and Pray: A Selfless Prayer—the Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. 
Where there is hatred let me sow peace;
where there is injury let me sow forgiveness;
where there is doubt let me sow faith;
where there is despair let me give hope;
where there is darkness let me give light;
where there is sadness let me give joy.
0 Lord, grant that I may
not try to be comforted, but to comfort,
not try to be understood but to understand,
not try to be loved but to love.
Because it is in giving that we receive,
it is in forgiving that we are forgiven,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.