Mark 11:18-26: a reflection

18The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching. 19When evening came, he went out of the city. 20As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots. 21Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.” 22Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says. 24Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them. 25Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. 26But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”

As Jesus teaches his disciples about faith and prayer, he adds a condition that we might not expect. Whenever you stand praying, he says, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. Prayer and forgiveness are tied together: we cannot come to God asking his forgiveness while holding unforgiveness against others in our hearts. To pray rightly is also to forgive.

Notice how Jesus links our praying with our forgiving. He does not treat forgiveness of others as an optional extra, separate from our life of prayer; he makes it part of how we come to God. If we would ask the Father to forgive us, we must also let go of what we hold against others. A heart clutching a grudge is not ready to receive forgiveness; the same hand cannot both grasp a grievance and reach out for mercy.

That is a searching word for our prayers. It is easy to come to God asking his forgiveness for our own sins while quietly nursing resentment against someone who has wronged us. But Jesus ties the two together: forgive, when you stand praying, that your Father may forgive you. When you come to God in prayer, let go of the grievances you hold; do not clutch a grudge with one hand while reaching for God's mercy with the other. Release what you hold against others, forgive as you would be forgiven, and come to God with a heart that has let go. The prayer that seeks God's forgiveness must also be a prayer that forgives.

Lord Jesus, you taught that whenever I stand praying, I should forgive whatever I have against anyone, so that my Father may also forgive me. Search my prayers by that word. It is easy for me to come to you asking forgiveness for my own sins while quietly nursing resentment against someone who has wronged me. But you tie the two together: I cannot come clutching a grudge with one hand while reaching for your mercy with the other. When I come to you in prayer, help me let go of the grievances I hold. Help me release what I hold against others, to forgive as I would be forgiven, and to come to you with a heart that has let go. Do not let me hold unforgiveness while seeking your forgiveness. Make my prayer that seeks your mercy also a prayer that forgives, so that, forgiven, I forgive, and forgiving, I am ready to receive your mercy.