Glad to be back – particularly as we drove eastwards across Scotland last night and watched the roads become dry and the rain stop. Can’t get over living somewhere with a relatively dry climate. Donegal was books and snoozing and rain – constant rain. But you wouldn’t go there if you were bothered by that.
And now I’m trying to grasp all the confusion about the release of the Lockerbie bomber. Was I naive to think that it was a decision of principle?
Notable that no-one much appeared to accept that “compassion” might in fact have entered into the decision; it was generally interpreted as a decent or an indecent cover for some other actual reason.
August brought my parish a visit from a new senior diocesan figure. He commented wryly on our newsletter – “No Ladies Keep Fit this month” “No Good Companions” and told us of a parish where a note for the visiting celebrant said “No Peace here at present”
No, I don’t think naive at all. Let the whole world call your legal system wrong, but the demonstration of mercy – even if not appreciated by Megrahi himself – was still an act of mercy. It is said that he showed no mercy but may that never be your/our measure for showing it (1 Pet 2:23). We ought always to be thankful that God did not wait for us to take his side before reconciling us to himself (Rom 5:10). Our showing of mercy must be because it is right, not because of the way it is received or perceived by others. What a blessing that you have a legal system that is capable of showing mercy. Kym