It has been said that you can never get two people to agree on anything important, meaning politics, religion, relationships - the topics that we tend to care about with passion.

Maybe that's why Jesus told his followers "if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father." He may have figured that if two people agree on something, it would be such a miracle in and of itself that it would be something that God would be likely to honor.

In reality, though, Jesus' comment comes has he is talking about the importance of forgiveness. "If your brother sins against you," Jesus says, "go and tell him his fault is between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother."

But that is only step one. "If he does not listen," Jesus continues, "take one or two others along with you." If that doesn't work, the attempt to reconcile should still not end. "If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church."

After telling his followers to make every effort to resolve conflicts between them, Jesus makes his statement about how God will grant the wishes of any two believers. In this context, it seems that Jesus is talking about the wish for reconciliation. If we can forgive one another, then God will surely grant forgiveness to us as well.

There are few topics that Jesus spends as much time and passion on as forgiveness. It would be refreshing if our churches and religious leaders shared the same priorities. I mean, if you asked most people what is most important in the Christian faith, few would respond "forgiveness." That is not what the public representatives of Christianity spend their time talking about.

But that is what Jesus spent much of his ministry talking about and demonstrating to his followers - that God is interested in mercy, compassion and forgiveness.

Jesus suggests we ought to have a sense of urgency to make things right when we have a conflict with our neighbor. I don't usually have this sense of urgency. When someone wrongs me, I generally am comfortable being angry for a little while. There is a sense of power in having the "upper hand," knowing that someone has committed an error.

No such power really exists, of course. Quite the opposite. If we are alienated from our brother or sister, regardless of who is at fault, we lose something precious.

If we can somehow reach out to one another to resolve our differences, God is there. This, it seems, is what Jesus means when he says if two of us pray for something, it will be granted by God. If brothers and sisters who have hurt one another ask for help, it will be granted.

Of course, we don't really need to be told this. We know, if we have followed the New Testament at all, that Jesus is quick to forgive even the darkest deeds. He doesn't seem interested in keeping people out of the kingdom of God or separated from one another, but instead seems eager to welcome us back when we stray.

This is good news for those of us who are guilty of wrongdoing as often as we are wronged. If Jesus wants us to forgive those who sin against us, then he also wants those we sin against to forgive us.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa. He may be reached at bptidings@yahoo.com.