Post-Forgiven Father

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Thalassic
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 10:54 am
Location: Lake Geneva, WI

Post-Forgiven Father

Postby Thalassic » Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:01 am

This passage below is written by Henri Nouwen. When I first read this during lent, it spoke volumes to me and enabled me for the first time to forgive my Father. I honestly wasn't sure if this forgiveness I felt for him then would last. It has lasted but I never reconsidered how I might feel about the sin he committed, Suicide. Any idea I might have had concerning suicide came directly from my "Pre-Forgiven" father era. Suicide is Selfish. Suicide hurts the world. Suicide is unacceptable weakness. Now what I believe is that suicide is a deeply intimate personal decision. Deeply intimate personal decisions can only be made by the individual for the individual and can not be imposed upon another. So I can think to myself, "Suicide is Selfish" but it can only apply to my own act. If I believe personally, "Suicide is selfish" and I commit the act of suicide...it would be a selfish act. This is only true for another individual if that's what they believe also. The reality is, like any other deeply intimate personal decision, it's between that individual and their God. So God bless those who might find themselves in the position that taking their own lives is the only option left to them and God bless those who survive them.

Our Need To Forgive

First be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come offer your gift.
-Matthew 5:24

The name of love in this world is forgiveness. We always have to forgive each other for not being God, for not giving what we most desire. My heart yearns to be loved and every time I meet another human being, he or she disappoints me, eventually, somewhere, somehow---maybe not the first week, maybe not the first month, but eventually. And do not say "Oh my goodness you are no good anyhow, get out of my life." The question you realize is a limited refraction of the unlimited love of God. And the fact that you are so limited calls me to love God always more and to deepen my communion to the one who offers it to me so that I can love you better, even though you're not God.

Compassionate God, teach me true forgiveness.

Prycejosh1987
Posts: 424
Joined: Sun May 31, 2020 10:54 am
Location: Birmingham UK

Re: Post-Forgiven Father

Postby Prycejosh1987 » Sun Jun 07, 2020 1:53 pm

Thalassic wrote:This passage below is written by Henri Nouwen. When I first read this during lent, it spoke volumes to me and enabled me for the first time to forgive my Father. I honestly wasn't sure if this forgiveness I felt for him then would last. It has lasted but I never reconsidered how I might feel about the sin he committed, Suicide. Any idea I might have had concerning suicide came directly from my "Pre-Forgiven" father era. Suicide is Selfish. Suicide hurts the world. Suicide is unacceptable weakness. Now what I believe is that suicide is a deeply intimate personal decision. Deeply intimate personal decisions can only be made by the individual for the individual and can not be imposed upon another. So I can think to myself, "Suicide is Selfish" but it can only apply to my own act. If I believe personally, "Suicide is selfish" and I commit the act of suicide...it would be a selfish act. This is only true for another individual if that's what they believe also. The reality is, like any other deeply intimate personal decision, it's between that individual and their God. So God bless those who might find themselves in the position that taking their own lives is the only option left to them and God bless those who survive them.

Our Need To Forgive

First be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come offer your gift.
-Matthew 5:24

The name of love in this world is forgiveness. We always have to forgive each other for not being God, for not giving what we most desire. My heart yearns to be loved and every time I meet another human being, he or she disappoints me, eventually, somewhere, somehow---maybe not the first week, maybe not the first month, but eventually. And do not say "Oh my goodness you are no good anyhow, get out of my life." The question you realize is a limited refraction of the unlimited love of God. And the fact that you are so limited calls me to love God always more and to deepen my communion to the one who offers it to me so that I can love you better, even though you're not God.

Compassionate God, teach me true forgiveness.

I believe, Good luck in what you do.


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