Like breathing

It seems appropriate that tomorrow our Gospel centers on forgiveness.  9-11 is one of those occasions seared into our minds and hearts as a nation.  Everyone has a story around it.  We remember anniversaries in ones and fives and tens.  This is ten.  Forgiveness takes practice.

Forgiveness takes practice,

A lot of practice,

So much practice that it is necessary

To completely lose track

Of where you are

In numbers

In occasions

Even

In geography.

So much practice until it becomes

Like your lungs

Taking in air

Breathing as if on their own.

We do not have to practice breathing.

We have been doing it

Since birth.

Forgiveness takes practice

Again and again and again

Seventy times seven

Then

Seventy times seven

Again

Practice until

Just like when we come up for air

The breath fills our lungs

And we go on

With the very next breath

Without a thought.

After all

We have been doing it

Our whole lives.

We have practiced it

Our whole lives

Just like seventy times seven

We are invited

To continue the practice

Like breathing.