When people let us down we find it hard to trust them again, though if they apologise and show that they mean it, and if they act towards us in a way that helps us rebuild our belief in them, then trust can grow again.  The Christian way has always been to imitate our Lord and where repentance is show, forgiveness follows.  Jesus always helped people to become free from sin and he showed them how to grow from their failings.  That is true for all of us and in our struggle for perfection we shall often stumble and sometimes fall but to the repentant heart Jesus always extends his strong arm of support, as he sets us on the way again to integrity and ultimately to holiness.  I have always liked the story of a monk who was asked what his community did, replied, "we fall down and we get up again, we fall down and we get up again."  That carries some resonance for any who are trying to follow Jesus.

Many, though by no means all, of our politicians have placed themselves in a position in which it is hard to trust them at present.  There has been some expression of repentance from some of them.  A few have repaid the money they falsely claimed in expenses.  Others have decided to pay the price for the loss of trust in them and they will leave Parliamentary service at the next election.  others, sadly, have sought to justify what they have done, taking refuge in telling us that it was all within the rules - rules that Parliament (ie MPs) have made and which are acknowledged as open to abuse.  Self-regulatory rules are always prey to self-interest.

What we might wonder is: if they are failing in this thing, are they failing in other ways too?  There is a Gospel teaching that those who are faithful in little things can be trusted to be faithful in big things.  The opposite is also true.

Parliament has been found wanting.  our cherished democracy is under threat.  Others, some with sinister aims, will use this to further their own ends - (click here to read the joint  statement from the Archbishop of York and Archbishop of Canterbury and pray carefully over what our two Archbishops are saying).

Not using our vote or using it unwisely will not solve the present crisis in British Politics  Our local councillors tend to be hard working people who have the community interest at heart.  They don't deserve to be punished for the sins of their Parliamentary counterparts.  There will, in any case, be a greater scrutiny and hopefully a more honest integrity in the future - stable doors, horses and all that!  Hopefully, too, there will be a real repentance and a rededication to public service.  Politics ahs looked very tired recently.  Perhaps there will be renewed concern to serve us better.  That can only be good.  Perhaps too, towards those who are truly repentant there should be forgiveness and a renewal of trust.