Advent forgiveness: choosing grace

 
Advent is a season of expectation—a time when we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ, the One who brings light into every shadow. But for many people today, Advent doesn’t arrive with quiet peace.

It arrives in the middle of complicated emotions, unspoken wounds, and relationships that feel strained or broken. That’s why the example Jesus gives us in Luke 23:33–43 speaks so powerfully during this season: He shows us what forgiveness looks like even when the hurt comes from those closest to us.

As Jesus hung on the cross, He faced the deepest forms of pain—betrayal by a friend, abandonment by His followers, mockery from the crowd, and denial from someone He loved dearly. The people He poured His life into stood at a distance. The ones He healed turned against Him. And yet, in that place of unthinkable suffering, Jesus spoke one of the most radical prayers ever recorded:

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

This is forgiveness at its most divine — extended to those who didn’t ask for it, didn’t deserve it, and didn’t understand the depth of their actions. And during Advent, we’re invited to walk in that same spirit of grace.

Because Advent isn’t just about looking back at Jesus’ birth—it’s about preparing our hearts to welcome Him again. And nothing prepares the heart for Christ like forgiveness.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean pretending the pain wasn’t real. It doesn’t demand that we forget how deeply we were hurt, or that we instantly restore broken relationships. Instead, forgiveness means releasing the grip that injury has on us. It means allowing Christ to shine His healing light on the places where betrayal, abandonment, or disappointment have settled in our spirit.

When we choose forgiveness during Advent, we choose:
• Peace over bitterness

Just as Jesus offered forgiveness while still in the middle of unimaginable suffering, Advent reminds us that we can begin the journey toward forgiveness even before everything feels resolved. We can take one step—one prayer—toward healing, trusting that God meets us in that movement.

This season, as we light candles and anticipate the coming of Emmanuel—God with us—may we also make room for the miracle of forgiveness. The same grace Jesus extended from the cross is the grace that empowers us to forgive today. And as we forgive, we create space for Christ’s peace to enter our hearts, our homes, and our relationships in ways that bring true Advent hope.

Season’s Greetings and may God continue to bless you today, tomorrow and forever.

Rev. Dr. Christopher L. Thompson is pastor of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Okatie, SC