In forgiving as Reverend Graham has done, Americans can let go of the burden of discomfort in their own hearts. In pardoning, we allow the grace of our compassionate Lord to shine through our own lives. Nevertheless, we do not know what presidential sins Reverend Graham was willing to forgive. Presumably President Clinton has disclosed the details of his transgressions to Reverend Graham. If not, then Reverend Graham, like most Americans, believes that the President s denials are not completely accurate.
Genuine forgiveness takes place when the person who is seeking forgiveness is truly penitent.
If Reverend Graham advises the President to go before the nation and publicly confess the nature and details of whatever needs to be forgiven, he will have given him more valuable advice than a whole bevy of White House lawyers. Then people can choose the method and extent to which they wish to bestow mercy, and the country can move on knowing justice has triumphed in the end.