Just this week I was researching the life of Neil Armstrong for the Air Cadet Service I will

be leading towards the end of the month. As a result I know far more about the astronaut than I did before. Yet one story I heard years ago however I could not track down. For it seems that the teenage Neil was given a gift of a trial flying lesson. He was immediately hooked and used any money he could raise from errands and part time jobs to learn to fly. Then one day right in front of him a friend was killed in a light aircraft crash. His whole ambition was put to the test. Yet Armstrong was keen member of his local church and taught in its Sunday school. So that night he prayed the whole matter over and in the morning said to his mother I am going on flying as I think God wants me too. On 1968, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon and said that is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

Well that story has a number of themes. There is forgiveness putting the past behind - this time of an activity rather than a person. There is faith to go on. And there is a sense of duty to God to continue.

And these are the same interwoven strands of thought that are in our lesson today. Firstly we see the need forgiveness - to forgive time and time again provided we are asked for it. Next we have the disciples asking for more faith to go on. At which point Jesus goes into a parable involving the expected contractual performance of a servant the required sense of duty if you like.

Nevertheless whilst the Armstrong example give us an idea how these imperatives can be worked out in a relatively clear cut situation. We can still feel less sure how to applying them to our own lives not least in the complex world of human relationships. So lets take it step by step..

Well, the first part relates to the habitual offender. By that I mean the person we all know that is late or forgets or never does. Maybe even someone who has repeatedly insulted you in a more threatening, deeper or painful way. Precisely when, what or how, I leave to your memory. And in these situations that Jesus makes abundantly clear that if forgiveness is sought, then we must give it. Ah we say but they will undoubtedly do it again. Where are the sanctions to re-enforce better behaviour? Where the penalty that gives me a sense is that Justice has been done? And it is here that the faith comes in. For the request for faith seems to come from the disciples whose patience has been tried to exasperation by some serial defaulter. It is possible they are asking for the faith that the miscreant will be punished by divine action. Indeed that they will see justice as theirs.

Yet Christ seems to talk to them about faith in something else. He is referring in the faith to hope; hope for change the hope that behaviour will improve the hope that eventually the wrongdoer will make amends.

Hope indeed that through the capability of God we can be better we can be transformed we can as they say in religious circles be redeemed. Now I have to say I seek this type of faith less than the more vengeful sort

It is here I am chastised by the parable at the end of our lesson.

Because he is really saying if you want more faith to hope then use what you have. Put in modern parlance - exercise those flabby faith muscles give your hope a real work out push yourself to anticipation exhaustion and then look for new horizons.

And how do we exert ourselves to gain such a worthy prize as hopeful faith? Once upon a time there was a little boy who was raised in an orphanage. The little boy had always wished that he could fly like a bird. It was very difficult for him to understand why he could not fly. There were birds at the zoo that were much bigger than he, and they could fly.

There was another little chap who was crippling. He had always wished that he could walk and run like other little boys and girls. Why cant I be like them? he thought. One day the little orphan, who had wanted to fly like a bird, ran away from the orphanage. He came upon a park where he saw the little boy, who could not walk or run, playing in the sandbox. He ran over to the little boy and asked him if he had ever wanted to fly like a bird. No, said the little boy who could not walk or run. But I have wondered what it would be like to walk and run like other boys and girls. That is very sad, said the little boy who wanted to fly. Do you think we could be friends? he said to the little boy in the sandbox. Sure, said the little boy. The two little boys played for hours. They made sand castles and made really funny sounds with their mouths. Sounds which

made them laugh . Then the little boys father came with a wheelchair to pick up his son. The little boy who had always wanted to fly ran over to the boys father and whispered something into his ear. That would be OK, said the man. The little boy who had always wanted to fly like a bird ran over to his new friend and said, You are my only friend and I wish that there was something that I could do to make you walk and run like other little boys and girls. But I cant. But there is something that I can do for you. The little orphan boy turned around and told his new friend to slide up onto his back. He then began to run across the grass. Faster and faster he ran, carrying the little disabled boy on his back. Faster and harder he ran across the park. Harder and harder he made his legs travel. Soon the wind just whistled across the two little boys faces. The little boys father began to cry as he watched his beautiful little crippled son flapping his arms up and down in the wind, all the while yelling at the top of his voice, IM FLYING, DADDY. IM FLYING!

Here then is the way to increase our faith in hope. And it is lift the one we have hope for with our forgiveness. It is to carry the one we have hope for in our dutiful service to God. And it is to run with the one we have hope for in the sight of Christ. Then together we can both shout out we are flying daddy we are flying!

Amen

Offering