Scripture: Leviticus 16:15
“He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it.”

Thought for the Day: Today is Yom Kippur, cheap the Jewish Day of Atonement that follows Rosh Hashanah, rx the New Year. It consists of confession and prayer throughout the day, online in hope that God will forgive us the transgressions we’ve made throughout the year.

This is also a day of reconciliation. Before Yom Kippur, many Jews begin apologizing to others that they may have offended, excluded, or hurt in some way over the past year. Yom Kippur is about reconciliation with God, but one must also reconcile with one’s neighbors.

It should be no surprise then, that the themes of confession, reconciliation and forgiveness are an important part of Christianity. Jesus would have observed some 30 Yom Kippurs. Thirty days of atonement, of forgiveness, of forgiving. Why some biblical figures are shocked when Jesus forgives people’s sins is beyond me. Forgiving each other had been part of Jewish tradition for centuries. Everyone forgives everyone’s transgressions, and ultimately God forgives all of us for acting like jerks the majority of the time.

Confession, atonement and forgiveness are the very keys to a peaceful society, because frankly, we all know when we’ve acted badly, or cheated someone, or acted like a jerk. We know. So asking for God to give us the strength to ‘fess up is the first step in doing our part in creating the kingdom of heaven. Now.

This rather unfortunately named website has the best summary of Yom Kippur I found after pouring through dozens of them online. I think its themes will resonate with all of us.

Prayer: Holy God, give me the strength to both apologize for my sins, and avoid committing them again. Amen.