A question of forgiveness for those who do not expect or understand it

First of all we need to reflect on the very divine element pertaining to forgiveness and where it came from. Of course the divinity of our God is defined by the holiness of a divine person or entity. Holiness reaches beyond the existence of a person’s intent towards going beyond the way of worldly conformity. It is a life that does not conform itself to this age, but discerning the will of God and living in a manner that pleases him. We must make ourselves as a living sacrifice, spiritually open to the very presence of the divine essence of Almighty God. (cf Rom. 12: 1 - 2).

Forgiveness is not a term that makes a person clean as much as removing something that has attached itself to the weak and vulnerable desires of a life that seeks only pleasures suited to a human entity. Going back to Adam and Eve and their being tempted to partake of something they didn’t know was wrong. It wasn’t until another element of life’s pleasures held out an easy way to secure it that we quickly fell from grace.

When evil intentions confront any of us and we do not have the tenacity to avoid their corrupting attraction, two elements occur; first we realize the trap we’ve fallen into and then guilt always plays its song of “you shouldn’t have done that.” Now once our weakness collapses and shame enters our regretful thoughts, we seek, or hopefully do, a reason to call on God.

Here is where the need to find God’s forgiveness becomes an urgency and with the very concern that it is available to us.

What about the sinner who falls and is not sure God will hear us or is he too far away from us to be ready to listen? There is one truth that exists in this case. No matter how far or extreme our sin is, or how many times we fall into it, turn around and see that God never left our side. And he never will. That is what God’s mercy is all about and forgiveness is easily placed upon our soul and that is when a weak and vulnerable condition disappears for now.

Saying it disappears for now, does that signify we may fail from the same sin? Yes! Remember what our Lord answered Peter when he asked how many times must he forgive a brother who asks for it, seven times! Jesus answered; “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” (Mt 18: 21 - 22). When we sin, do not bury your head in the sand and hate yourself. Rather, lift up your head and renounce the sin, but not yourself. The Exultet at the Easter Vigil proclaims; “O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!” Without sin, Jesus would never have come for us, and we would still be denied entrance into Paradise. That is the dichotomy of being forgiven in spite of our sin.

Ralph B, Hathaway