Compassion?

I have really struggled with the comments over the releasing of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi by the Scottish Government.

One reason is that it seems as if many, especially politicians have waited to comment, as if testing the waters for fear of saying the wrong thing. We now seem to be facing a swell of outrage that a man, convicted of a crime, may be released on compassionate grounds due to his suffering with terminal cancer.

I have every sympathy with the families and all those involved with the crash. I cannot begin to imagine what it must feel like to have lost a loved one or to have worked at clearing up the debris left by the crash. But revenge is not a good healthy way to treat each other and I do not think those who are bereaved should expect to override the principle of compassion.

Nor am I happy with the idea that it is OK to release a man about whom there is some doubt about his guilt. I do not know the details of the case, but if it could be faulty then it should be dealt with through the law. So those who say, well he probably wasn't guilty anyway, so we were OK to release him have deprived those who need to know who was responsible for the deaths of their loved ones.

The Scottish Government have stated that he has been released out of compassion for his terminal cancer. This makes perfect sense to me. He is a dying man who wants, as we all would to be near home and family at the end of his life. If we refuse to show compassion, like those who suggest that he doesn't deserve compassion , having shown none to his vitims, we are no better than those who do murder...

We must not sink to that level, but show the Love God has for all of us, whatever we may have done...

May we all be blessed with compassionate hearts for all of God's creation.