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Sermon for the 15th Sunday after Trinity, Year A - Mucknell Abbey
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14 Sep Sermon for the 15th Sunday after Trinity, Year A

Posted at 12:26h in Sermons by

Sunday 13th September, 2026

There’s a well-known phrase, which goes, “It’s not all about you!” If someone has ever said that to you, perhaps you felt, as I did, told off. Reminded that maybe you were being a little self-absorbed, self-centred, selfish. It’s easily done, especially if we’re feeling hurt or wounded, that a situation wasn’t fair and just. And in those instances it’s easy to feel that it is all about you. 

All of today’s readings seem to suggest that it isn’t about any one person. They mention individuals, but it seems to me that they are articulating, in different ways, that there is a bigger picture, concerning not one, but all of us.

Joseph saw that God’s work was much greater than just being about him, and so was able  to forgive the betrayal of his brothers.

Paul tells us not to judge each other, that the bigger picture is about a collective ‘us’, being obedient and accountable to God, who is the judge of us all.

In the parable the first slave, being concerned only with his own needs, was unable to carry on the example of forgiveness set by his master and contribute to the bigger picture, and so he became a slave of his own anger.

So, the takeaway is – practice forgiveness and don’t judge. Simple.

If only it were…. When someone sins against us, as Peter put it, don’t  we  feel hurt, upset, angry, let down? Judgement takes hold of us as we rail against the person who hurt us. It’s all about us. And I don’t know about you, but what I sometimes want at that point is an apology, for them to understand my hurt and want my forgiveness. It’s quite transactional. I’m hurt, I want you to hurt, then apologise for hurting me, then I’ll finish hurting and forgive you, making it all ok and we’ll move on.

Or do we? Do we privately store the incident, perhaps subconsciously, keeping hold of those feelings, and the next time they mess up.… ‘Remember last time, when you did such-and-such to me….?’ Suddenly we’re right back there, trapped in those emotions – so there’s no real healing, for anyone.

Or the actions of someone else entirely might trigger those emotions again. And now we’re judging someone else, for something that had nothing to do with them, and possibly they’re judging us for not being fair. What a mess.  

But let’s get back to me. Thinking about the readings this week, it reminded me that holding on to such emotions just isn’t healthy. It impacts the next person, and the next. Trauma begets trauma, unless it is healed, and  we all have the potential to put our ‘stuff’ onto others. 

So, how do you let go of those emotions that are filled with judgement, and forgive?

Every day here at the abbey we say  together, in prayer, ‘Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.’ And around those words, I realise that I also just need to forgive myself, to allow feelings of hurt, anger etc, but without letting them imprison me. And I can’t help thinking that perhaps it is that forgiveness that starts the healing, calms those emotions, opens the prison, and helps me forgive my neighbour, even if I’m still angry at them. They can still be accountable, and we don’t have to reconcile or like each other. But the forgiveness part, that feels like it comes from a deeper, inner voice of love,  for myself and for them. The holy spirit, enabling me to heal and forgive. and then God will forgive me.

We have the wonderful example of God’s unconditional love and compassion, shown to us through his son. And whenever I have those feelings that trap me in ‘myself’,  I try to remember that I need to make a conscious choice, every day, either to do my best to follow Christ’s example and forgive, without reservation, or to remain a slave of those emotions that make me judge others. I know which I’d prefer, but I’m human,  and I mess up, frequently. But if I can forgive myself for just being human, maybe in turn I can do the same for someone else, to let go of rancour and free them from my judgement.  Because, as Joseph said “I am not in the place of God.” It’s not all about me.

I’d like to be the slave that can free and heal himself, allow and forgive his imperfections, and in turn be the guy who can forgive others seventy-seven times, to try and emulate the limitlessness of God’s love and forgiveness, and to really mean it.

Amen 

Andrew, Alongsider

Vasconcellos, Josefina de, 1904-2005. Coventry Cathedral – Reconciliation, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt University Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://act.library.vanderbilt.edu/artworks/54900 [retrieved September 14, 2026]. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52325611@N05/4947065261/.