A powerful sermon by Bishop Anderson Jeremiah at the London Diocesan Board for Schools Service at St Paul’s Cathedral exploring forgiveness, healing, and beginning again with God’s grace.
When Things Feel Broken
Imagine you’re holding your friend’s phone—a brand new one—and you drop it. You watch it hit the pavement in slow motion. Crack. Your stomach drops. That feeling of ‘I can’t undo this,’ the ‘unfixable moment,’ is one of the worst feelings in the world.
We’ve all had that feeling, haven’t we? Not just with phones, but with people. Maybe you said something you can’t take back. Maybe you betrayed a friend’s trust. You messed up, and now things feel ‘broken.’
Everyone makes mistakes, and usually, an apology fixes it. But what about the big stuff? The things that feel unforgivable?
The Power and Challenge of Forgiveness
The world tells us that if someone hurts you, you hurt them back. But the stories of Jesus show us a different way: forgiveness breaks that cycle and frees both people. Forgiveness is a choice. It is painful and takes strength. Holding a grudge keeps you tied to someone; forgiveness cuts the rope.
Jesus models this perfectly. Even when treated unfairly, mocked and killed, His response was forgiveness. And with Peter—who denied Him—Jesus didn’t shame him; He restored him.
God’s Grace and Beginning Again
Forgiving others can take time. But God’s forgiveness is instant—like turning the page or starting with a blank sheet every single time.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu taught that forgiveness is not forgetting but healing. Harm is never excused, but we can choose to respond with love.
And if God forgives you, you must forgive yourself. Shame is heavy, but God looks at you with love and wants you to walk freely again.
Healing as a Community
Later, you’ll work on a jigsaw puzzle together—a symbol of how forgiveness restores community, bringing broken pieces into something whole. Forgiveness is life-giving. It transforms friendships and lets us start afresh. In our house, my daughters press an imaginary ‘reset button’ on their nose—a simple way to begin again.
