You might notice that the lectionary has skipped Matthew chapter 19, as last week we read from Matthew 18, when we read about the unmerciful servant, and today we’re reading from Matthew 20, the unhappy laborers in the vineyard with surprising salaries.

The theme of today’s gospel reading, and my focus today, is forgiveness. I’m going to tell two true stories that are extreme cases of forgiveness, which I hope will stretch the limits of what kind of forgiveness you think is even possible.

God is doing a new thing in the world today. The Holy Spirit is up to something. We all feel it. Despite the numerous challenges facing our world and the church, new life is emerging. New things are being born.

Jesus and Peter walking on the water. I know I already talked about the movie Bruce Almighty last week, but I can’t help but think of the scene where God, played by Morgan Freeman, walks on water with Bruce, played by Jim Carrey, while he explains to Bruce the rules when handing over his divine powers.

In the moment of the great crowd’s deepest need, great hunger, through Jesus, God provided what the people needed, with leftovers. God not only provided enough. God provided abundantly. Although the people and even the disciples doubted, Jesus had faith that God would provide. And God came through, as God always does when we believe.

Carlos’s experience in that village in Mexico where he was accepted, clothed, and taken care of, despite being naked and covered in tattoos, opened his heart to be good soil for God’s love.

Photo credit: Roman Synkevych on Unsplash

Maybe we are holding onto unnecessary piles of physical stuff at home. Maybe we are holding onto unnecessary negative spiritual energy. Maybe it is both. Whatever our burdens, whatever we are holding onto that is not serving us, God is ready and happy to take it from us. We just have to hand it over.

Photo credit: Dina Badamshina on Unsplash

 It can make a world of difference when some folks who are already a part of the community go out of their way to show us hospitality.

Photo credit: Kobu Agency on Unsplash