Days of Awe

This week stands between the two high holidays of Judaism: Rosh Hashanah last weekend and Yom Kippur next weekend. This is the Jewish new year, and in their tradition it is a time for reflection, repentance, and forgiveness. I am not a Jew, but I honor the spiritual and practical wisdom of this holiday. For a traditional Jewish community celebrating a new calendar year—or for a religious community recognizing the start of a new program year—it is a good idea to clear the air between us and to purify the intentions within us.

The two aspects of this spiritual practice are both important. One is to forgive others who have harmed us. As my colleague Michelle Favreau reminds me, forgiveness means replacing ill-will towards the one who has harmed me with a desire for their well-being. This does not mean that we don’t believe in justice! Some kind of repair for the harm done is compatible with forgiveness. And forgiveness benefits both parties. For the person doing the forgiving. It allows us to let go of the resentment and anger which cause stress within ourselves. This practice of deliberate and intentional forgiveness takes emotional work…and it has emotional rewards.

The second task for the Jewish believer during the Days of Awe is to repent of the harms that we have caused to others—and to ask forgiveness if possible. This is the other side of the coin. It requires us to take an honest inventory of ourselves and to see with clear sight the shortcomings we have. It is best to keep loving ourselves through this process, because self-hatred doesn’t help anyone. It is profound relational work to be able to say to someone, “I did this thing (or said this thing) that hurt you, and I’m sorry. That’s not the person I want to be. I ask you to forgive me if possible. I want our relationship going forward to be free of the guilt and resentment caused by my actions.” No wonder the Jewish people set aside a week for reflection and prayer so that we can purify ourselves and make right our relationships. It takes courage, self-awareness, and deep spiritual work.

May all of us, Jew and gentile, heed the wisdom of the Days of Awe and take at least a moment to think about how we might forgive others, how we might forgive ourselves, and how we might ask for forgiveness. This is good for us individually and it is good for our communities.

PRAYER:

God of many names and no name, allow me to see the full truth about myself—including the ugly parts that cause harm to others.

May I have the humility to see my faults and the courage to ask for forgiveness.

Sweet gentle G-d, help me to unlock the resentment I am holding onto so tightly, so that I can feel compassion and good will even toward the one who has harmed me the most.

May forgiveness bless us all.

Amen.

Rev. Drew Frantz

September 15, 2026