At Easter we reflect on the fact that Jesus died on the Cross that we might be forgiven for our sins. Below are some reflections on the theme of forgiveness.

Centuries ago personal bankruptcy was a very public matter. A list of all the debts of the bankrupt person was written on a parchment which was then nailed up in a public place such as the village square. There was one way that these debts could be cancelled. A friend or benefactor could remove the nail from the parchment, fold it in two and write his own name across it. Then he had to nail the folded parchment so that all could see he had signed it and had undertaken to pay all the debts.
Two works of mercy set a man free; forgive and you will be forgiven, and give and you will receive. Augustine

Only one petition in the Lord’s Prayer has any condition attached to it: it is the petition for forgiveness. William Temple

During the Korean War, a South Korean Christian was arrested by the Communists and ordered shot. But when the young Communist leader learned that the prisoner was in charge of a children’s orphanage, he decided to spare the prisoner but kill his son instead. So the 19 year old was son was taken in front of the Christian prisoner and shot.
Later, the fortunes of war changed and the same Communist leader found himself captured by the UN forces, tried and condemned to death. But before the sentence could be carried out, the Christian man, whose son had been shot, came and pleaded for the life of the killer. He declared that this Communist was young and really didn’t know what he was doing. The Christian man said, “Give him to me and I will train him.” The UN forces granted the request and the father took the murderer of his son into his own home and cared for him.
And today, that young man, formerly a Communist, is a Christian minister, serving Christ. This is the power of forgiving love….