The Nation struggles to forgive. As children we were taught to “Say sorry”, and to move on knowing that “everything had been put right”. If only life was really that simple.

Breaches of the law demand punishment. Once the price has been paid, the past has been satisfied. Or has it?

High profile characters are still referred to as former perjurers, or cheats, or whatever. They carry the past with them, no matter what good they are now doing.

As I write this piece, the world of athletics is struggling with a former drugs cheat. He’s done his time of suspension – he’s paid the penalty for his cheating – he’s back performing at the highest level – and he’s been selected (reluctantly) to represent Great Britain. But he’s not enjoying forgiveness from much of the sporting world.

Forgiveness and restitution are very difficult things to deal with. They inevitably involve our sense of right and wrong – but, perhaps more importantly, they touch deep emotional things within us. We are affected by the deeds of others, and
we respond as best we know how – and yet imperfectly.

Perhaps this is where the church’s season of Holy Week and Easter might be able to help. The world’s most dastardly judgement is meted out on an innocent man, and yet he can pray “Father, forgive them for they know not what they’re doing”. This is not an emotional cry, but an act of pure grace.

As humans we struggle to forgive because we so often focus on matters of justice, but find ourselves as strangers to the things of grace! This is not surprising, because it is so very hard and costly — Jesus did it, but it cost him his life to do it!

Knee-jerk reactions and emotional responses are common to us all. If we’re going to be part of the forgiving and forgiven community, perhaps we need to pray for God’s grace and heed the word of St James: Everyone should be quick to
listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.