Don Henley, the Dentist's Office, and Forgiveness

The Perfect Don Henley Meme 

"The Boys of Summer" has a distinct place in my memory. Of course, at my age it is the Ataris' cover of Don Henley's classic song that resonates with building fires during my first summer as a staff member at Camp Winnataska and not the original. Still I can say without reservation that this anthem about love lasting more than a season stands atop my list of favorite Don Henley songs. Another song by the former Eagle though has an equally distinct memory attached to it.

For some strange reason when I hear "The Heart of the Matter" I feel like I am strapped into a dentist's chair with a hygienists' work keeping me from answering the endless questions that the cleaner of my teeth asks. The refrain of this 1989 soft rock song that only made it to number 23 on the Billboard Top 100 crashes its way into my head whenever I think of the word "forgiveness." Although we all probably have reason to practice forgiveness towards our dentist (who hasn't left with bleeding gums?) that is not why Henley's song comes to mind.

The refrain goes like this:
"I've been tryin' to get down to the Heart of the Matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore."

I think it's the repetitious "FORGIVENESS" sung by back up singers that has lodged its way into my memory. It's almost haunting. While this might seem funny, it's a bit distracting when I begin to prepare a sermon that focuses on forgiveness. I can only take so much dentist office rock! So as I begin preparing for this coming Sunday's message on Matthew 18:21-35 in which Peter asks how many times he should forgive his fellow church member I wonder how many times can I put up with "The Heart of the Matter" playing in my own head and I get frustrated with myself.

In the gospel text Peter ends his question about forgiving his neighbor wondering is seven times enough? If someone does something to harm me enough that I feel I must confront and forgive them seven times that seems like a superfluous amount of forgiving. This is an overabundance of forgiving right Jesus? NOPE! Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times." Then Jesus launches into a story about an unruly servant who is forgiven, but does not forgive.

I think this is where Don Henley might actually make a little sense when he is not reminding me of the dentist's drill. If Jesus urges us not to forgive seven times, but seventy-seven times then getting down to the heart of the matter is truly about forgiveness just as Henley suggests. Our entire life as followers of Christ comes down to this act of forgiving and reconciling with others. Whether we are the one that is harming another or the one being harmed we practice forgiveness because God forgives us, as the parable suggests. Communal life as Christians focuses upon being ready, willing, and eager to practice forgiveness with one another (even if, even if you don't love me anymore).