FORGIVENESS THE KEY MESSAGE OF EASTER

This Easter weekend, people will be planning their holiday break and thinking about a rest from their busy lifestyle. However, regardless of your Faith and how you observe or do not observe Easter, the fact is that it is a crucial, if not the most crucial element of Christianity. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very foundation of the Christian Faith and underpins much of its teachings. So what messages are there for the wider community those who do not believe in Christianity or those who believe but don't go to church? What lessons can the secular society take away from the principles espoused by teachings of the Easter period? One of the main messages of the Christian Faith arises from the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is forgiveness. The Bible records Jesus saying "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing". This is regarded as the ultimate act of forgiveness. So the message that we may take away from Easter in the secular society is one of being prepared to forgive people who have done us wrong. Generally, we do not see a lot of forgiveness in today's society. More and more we want to take action against people who aggrieve us whether in the workplace, at home, on the road, at schools or the modern meeting places shopping centres. Forgiving can be very hard in many cases. We tend to hold a grudge rather than forgive and get on with life. Give it some thought this weekend while you are relaxing or having fun. CAN YOU FORGIVE?