One of my fellow Oblates, who ministers full time in a federal penitentiary, shared the experience of a prisoner who has come to terms with his crime, “I can never be forgiven for what I have done!” The tremendous evil of his actions threatens to crush his life and future into the pavement. There is no hope! There is no future!
Is it true that there could be no forgiveness for the very wounded criminal?
What does our faith have to offer?
So many born-Christians have never had to wrestle with this conundrum. Is there any glimmer of light to this struggle?
Probably most Christians do not recognize that truth of God’s forgiveness that they proclaim each Sunday in the Creed. These are the absolutely essential points of belief. You must hold to each statement of the creed or you are not as yet a Christian. The little phrase, “and he descended into hell,” smoothly sails by the people on most Sundays. We need to confront the truth of this part of our Creed.
The descent into hell has no historical evidence in the New Testament. Even though the Gospels and St. Paul do not mention such a historical event, we know that from the very beginning Christians have always understood that the effects of the cross are so great that the forgiveness of cross descends even into the depths of hell. Now, hell is the state of the rejection of God. Christians have said right from the beginning that the forgiveness wrought by the cross is so powerful, so universal, that it will descend and touch people who might live in a state of God-rejection. There is no evil so great that the forgiveness of Jesus Christ cannot touch.
Any human being that turns towards God for forgiveness can be forgiven.
This is so radical! This belief is very difficult to live with on this earth. We want a God who makes us comfortable and always makes us feel good. This is God who will lead us up the mountain of goodness, leads us into unbelievable healing and forgiveness, This is the God who will give new life to anyone who seeks forgiveness.
Our prisoner must deal with the real God. When we turn towards God, God’s forgiveness will be turned toward us. No one can earn forgiveness. No one can demand to be forgiven! God comes to lift from us the evil and pain we have committed. God comes to reconcile us even when we have so deliberately rejected him. Rejection of God is the depths of hell.
Now, if this is the way that God acts towards the most evil of human beings, the mission of the church is to share in God’s great work of redeeming the earth.
God’s forgiveness is our command to break the violence, lift the great suffering of resentment and hurt from the lives of others. This is all about bringing life to our fellow human beings. God’s forgiveness is to build new bridges. God brings new life out of the pits of despair and evil.
There will be many situations where born-Christians will struggle with the implications of God’s forgiveness. This is an essential part of our faith. This is one of the most challenging aspects of knowing our God. Are we up to the challenge of the real God?
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