Originally published at National Catholic Register
While it is ‘hard to ask for forgiveness,’ it is what love demands.
“Je vous demande pardon” means “I ask your forgiveness.” It’s the refrain of the song “Pardon” (Forgiveness) sung (in French) by the “Sweet People.” “Sweet People” is a group, originally launched in Switzerland by its lead singer, Alain Morisod, to take part in the 1977 Eurovision song contest. “Sweet People” is a group that sings mellow pop, frequently love songs.
“Pardon” struck me because of its lyrics. Love songs often do not inspire deep thought, but “Pardon” does.
Consider the first lines of the chorus:
It is hard to ask for forgiveness. It is easier to say, “I love you.”
English is, in a real sense, an impoverished language. One word, “love,” is supposed to cover a multitude of things, from expressing preferences about ice cream to the self-sacrificing benevolence of charity. In that sense, Sweet People are right. “I love you” can be cheap. It can be superficial. And it can fail to grapple with anti-love. In all those senses, it can be unconvincing.
But such evasion comes at a price, one that “Pardon” captures. “We take refuge in silence. Nothing is really [ever]
