On July 7, 2007, many Christians throughout the world were struck by the familiarity of the numbers which coincided on that day.  What were these numbers and what did they mean for us?  The 7^th Month, the 7^th day in the 7^th year of the new millennium 777!!!

In the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 18:21-22, we hear Jesus' difficult answer to a simple question.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

7 x 77!  What is that?  539!  Is this a specific number?  No.  What our Lord is saying, is that we must all learn to be as merciful as God Himself, willing to forgive at all costs.  7 is the divine number, the holy number representing all that is, God Himself.  Limitless! What therefore Jesus is saying is that our mercy too must be limitless, complete and unrelenting.  This is one of the most difficult commandments of our Lord. 

Jesus has been accused by many of His enemies as showing weakness where severe sin is involved.  How can some sins be forgiven?  Even God must have a limit to His mercy.  This however is the stumbling block.

Forgiveness is dependent on repentance.  If someone sins, we must be bold enough to rebuke that person.  We must be able and willing to point out the sinfulness and even to warn them of what they did as being an offence to God and a danger to their eternal salvation.  This takes great bravery.  When and if however, our �brother� repents and turns from his error and his sin, we must be willing at all costs to forgive him regardless of the consequences of his actions and the damage they may have caused.  Only in forgiveness is true healing possible.

Imagine how this approach would work in families and in Church communities.  If each of us were able to be brave enough to first point out the consequences of grievous sin which ultimately leads to brokenness and the loss of communion not only among men and women but with God, and to be able to not shy away from the difficult issues, and if we were bolder still to forgive after repentance, we would have such strong and irrevocable bonds that even Hell couldn�t destroy our love and our fellowship.

While this commandment has profound implications in our personal lives and the calling of gracious mercy among each and every one of us, it also has national implications. 

Particularly poignant for Armenians as a community especially where our feelings about Turkey are involved. each of us as committed Christians must advocate for the repentance of Turkish denial along with her allies including the USA.  If however, someday by the grace of God, there is national "repentance", an accounting of the sins perpetrated against our ancestors, we must be ready, willing and able to forgive.  July 7^th 2007 was a reminder for each of us to be merciful and forgiving at all costs, to love, and to be merciful to each other the way our Lord is with us.  God bless and empower you with His merciful Spirit, Amen.

In Christ,

Der Shnork