September 22, 2014
Seeking Forgiveness
When you are headed off to Federal Prison Camp it is a safe bet to assume that you need forgiveness from a multitude of people. I know I do! I have hurt my Family, my Friends, my Former Colleagues, my Former Clients and my God. Do I expect them all to forgive me? Absolutely not. Do I hope they will forgive me? Of Course.
The inspiration for today's blog comes from Father John, an Irish Priest at our local Church. The scriptures today discussed God's willingness to forgive us even at the 11th hour of our lives. It is never to late to be saved. In his gospel, Father John told a story about when He was a young Priest at a small Church in the Irish Countryside. He was sitting at mass as a gentleman (He did not know ) began the first reading of the scriptures. While He was reading, several people actually got up and walked out of church. Others, who stayed, looked angry or disgusted.
After mass, Father John returned home and asked his father who the Gentleman was who created such a stir at his mass today. His Father replied that it was man who was just released from Prison after 8 years and that certain parishioners had not forgiven him for his crimes. His Father reminded Father John that God forgives everyone who follows in his footsteps and that his parishioners were wrong to act the way they did. He also stated that God was more likely to forgive and embrace the Criminal who saw the light and was now following in God's footsteps than the non criminal church goer who refused to forgive a neighbor who committed a crime.
For all of us who have made serious mistakes, it is good to know that God is open to forgive us if we truly change our ways. Let's hope the others we are seeking forgiveness from understand the importance of Father John's message.
Ken Flaska
