I know I'm going to catch Gehenna for this. Excuse me a minute. I'm going to put on my blast shield, kevlar vest, and riot helmet....
Why do we ask general forgiveness from people we
think we
might've maybe somehow offended? It seems like it's becoming more of an Orthodox thing to do just as part of the season, rather than a real tangible act?
For example, if I was rude to ArmyMatt or Kylissa, or I remember being a jerk to Rusmeister, or perhaps I laughed off jckstraw's points and tried to be combative and nasty to him, then I have something to work off of. I feel guilt in my heart, know I fell short and didn't act godly, and I did some damage, then shouldn't I go to them individually and just apologize and ask forgiveness? Why the generic setup? I know the idea that we're sinners and just need general forgiveness for our very natures as sinners, but sometimes I think it's actually easy and almost a cop-out to do this "forgive me, a sinner" and then get the obligatory "God forgives, I forgive" thing. It's easy, I look good, I seem pious, we go through motions, we sound Eastern.
I know, I sound like a jerk for asking, but to me it seems easy! I got screwed by my clergy. They'll go to Forgiveness Vespers and say this same script over and over and look pious but they aren't addressing the guy they hurt? Seems odd and in the end weak.
I try to address wrongs all year long when I commit the sin. My buddy at work and I get a little frisky and sometimes argue and say things we don't mean. We take turns sucking it up and apologizing. We're specific as to why, what we did wrong, and we ask for reconciliation. I do that with parents in my class. I had a parent the other day come in screaming in my face. I apologized to him for the misunderstanding with his daughter, for my part in it, but explained to him what his daughter did and what she wasn't telling him, the reasons behind the situation. I've apologized to my principal when I sound accusatory or hot around the collar with him, to my wife when I get nasty and testy and rude once in a while, to other teachers at work, my own parents, to my own children at home.
I guess I'm more of a direct guy and not much into the outer scripted rituals and traditions with this.
Forgive me a sinner if I tick anyone off with this post!
:o