大象传媒

Good morning.聽

Today there will be a pancake race between members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords.聽 They鈥檝e run this race before, and the aim of it is to raise awareness of an organisation called REHAB, which provides a range of health and social care, training and employment for the disabled and for other people who are marginalised in society.聽聽聽

This is sometimes called Shrove Tuesday because people went to confession to be shriven or forgiven before the solemn season of Lent begins tomorrow.聽 Or Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, because it was the last day for eating rich, fatty foods before the fasting which began the next day.聽聽 And, so the story goes, the first pancake race took place at Olney in Buckinghamshire where a woman was so busy making pancakes that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells and ran out, still carrying her frying pan with the pancake.聽

When I was a young minister I used to think that the most important thing about Christian faith was to get across the truth that God has forgiven us and there is nothing that puts us beyond his capacity to forgive.聽 But I think I have learned that for many people, maybe for most people, the crucially important thing is whether, when we need to, we can forgive ourselves.聽聽聽

A rather cynical Frenchman once said that of course God forgives: it鈥檚 his business.聽 And it鈥檚 not too difficult for me to accept that.聽 But when I treat someone else badly, or think I can use them, or when I disappoint them or let them down, then before I have the luxury of forgiving myself I need to take the journey to seek the forgiveness of another.聽 Only then am I entitled to tell God that it鈥檚 his business to forgive me.聽

Loving God, teach us how to forgive and to accept forgiveness as your way to peace.聽 Amen.