This is a day to think about forgiveness. Today's news tells us that Trent Lott has become the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. Four years after making remarks interpreted as endorsing segregation, he has been forgiven by his party and her leaders.

Meanwhile, House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi faces a major challenge today. She has backed John Murtha of Pennsylvania over her longtime rival Steny Hoyer of Maryland to be the No. 2 Democrat. If Murtha loses the vote, her leadership may be weakened and she'll need the forgiveness of her opponents. If he wins, she'll be the one to forgive.

Forgiveness and punishment have apparently been a staple of November 16 events for a long time. On this day in 1885, Canadian rebel Louis Riel was executed for high treason. Apparently the Canadians were not in a forgiving mood. In 1933, the United States and the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations, and we know how that turned out. In 1959, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "The Sound of Music" opened on Broadway. "The hills are alive . . . and it's very frightening." Janet has seen the movie 1,438 times. I've seen it once, and forgiven her for the experience.

On this day in 1776, British troops captured Fort Washington during the American Revolution. 227 years later, Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair addressed a joint meeting of Congress upon receiving the Congressional Gold Medal. In his remarks he said, "my thrill on receiving this award was only a little diminished on being told that the first Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to George Washington for what Congress called his 'wise and spirited conduct' in getting rid of the British out of Boston. On our way down here, Senator Frist was kind enough to show me the fireplace where, in 1814, the British had burnt the Congress Library. I know this is kind of late, but, sorry."

Usually forgiveness is better late than never. Sometimes it is better never than late. You can't unburn a book. Words can't be unspoken. Trust cannot be unviolated. Even the God of the universe cannot undo past consequences as though they never occurred. If I drive a nail into a two-by-four, you can pull it out but the hole will remain. One of the fallacies of divine forgiveness is the idea that we can simply sin and confess, sin and confess, sin and confess. But the consequences of our actions still hurt. And the eternal reward we forfeit by our sin cannot be reclaimed.

Is there a recurring temptation in your life this morning? It will never be easier to refuse sin than it is right now. Let's learn how, tomorrow.

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