Forgiveness is at the heart
of the Christian Gospel. Jesus taught the Lord’s prayer ‘Forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ Many of Jesus’
parables were about forgiveness. He was greatly criticised for mixing with
sinners, but said ‘those who are not sick do not need a doctor’ and added ‘I
came to call sinners’. At the Last Supper Jesus foretold his sacrifice for the
forgiveness of sins, and Christians have always seen his death on the Cross and
rising to new life as a victory over sin.
Forgiveness is a two way
process, which is best described as reconciliation. It has four stages: contrition
(being truly sorry); confession (admitting faults); absolution
(being forgiven); and satisfaction or penance (putting things right).
These four stages can be found in many circumstances in life. They are also
found in the parable of the Prodigal Son and in the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. Forgiveness is not about letting someone off the hook, or
getting away with it. It is a healing of a hurt between two people, or between
the Christian and God.
Sin is any action or omission
which is against God’s will. It is doing the wrong thing. We know that everyone
does something wrong at some time – often not on purpose. We also find that
there is evil in the world around us. Yet at other times sin can be avoided,
though we might do something wrong on purpose.
The Church explains this
situation in this way. God wanted the world to be perfect, but from the very
earliest time there has been a tendency for people to sin. This is called Original
Sin and everyone is born into it. Original sin is washed away in baptism,
though it still has effects. When we do something wrong, that is called actual
(or personal) sin. But we know that some sins are more serious than others,
so the Church says that some actual sins are mortal (or deadly) sins,
while others are less serious, called venial sins. A mortal sin has to
be (1) a serious matter, committed with (2) full understanding and (3) full
consent. If any of these conditions is not present (e.g. not serious, not
understanding it was wrong, or not fully agreeing to the action) then it is a
venial sin. Most sins are venial.
Venial sins are forgiven by
God in prayer or by receiving holy communion. Mortal sins must be brought to
confession.
The Sacrament of
Reconciliation is also known as the Sacrament of Penance or Confession. It is
usually celebrated in a small room. The penitent (the person making their
confession) may kneel behind a screen or sit on a chair opposite the priest. In
confession the penitent confesses to God in the presence of the priest and the
priest gives God’s forgiveness. For this reaon confession is absolutely confidential.
The priest cannot tell anyone what is said – even if a serious crime has been
committed.
The Sacrament follows this
order:
In danger of death, the
ceremony can be shortened. At important times of the year, large services are
often organised for penitents to prepare themselves together for the sacrament.
The Catholic Church teaches
that Jesus founded the sacrament or reconciliation when he died on the cross
and also when he breathed on his apostles after the resurrection and told them
to forgive sins in his name. Confession should be a joyful celebration, then,
because God gives forgiveness.
The Catholic Church says that
every Catholic should go to confession as soon as possible when they know they
have committed a mortal sin. Some Catholics go often – once a month or even
weekly. Many go only before Christmas and Easter and some other times in the
year. Catholics believe the sacrament is important because
A crime is committed when
someone breaks the law of the society they live in. Not all sins are crimes –
for instance deliberate unkindness is sinful, but not against the law! Also,
although Christians would normally try to obey the law, not all laws are good,
and in some cases it may even be right to break the law (e.g. if the law treats
people unequally).
Most crime is the result of
sin and is very damaging to society. Christians see crime as spoilingthe
quality of life and going against the dignity and rights of people who are made
in the image of God.
When laws are broken society
must act. Action taken against a law breaker is usually a form of punishment.
Punishment has several purposes – to protect the law abiding, to take
just revenge, to act as a deterrent, or to reform.
Christians accept the need
for all of these, but prefer to keep the possibility of reform open, if
this is possible.
Jesus told his hearers not to
take revenge but to pray for their enemies. He spoke against the saying ‘an eye
for an eye’, and when he was asked to approve the death penalty on a woman
caught in adultery, he invited ‘the one without sin to cast the first stone’.
This prevented the penalty being carried out.
In general, Christians would
expect punishments to protect society, encourage reform, be appropriate for the
crime that was committed and to treat the criminal with human dignity.
Some people favour capital
punishment (the death penalty). The believe that those who take a life should
give their lives, that it is an effective deterrent, and that society is
protected from murderers if they are executed.
Others point out that most
murderers kill close family members and are very unlikely to repeat the crime,
and that societies which have the death penalty also tend to have the highest
murder rates. Also there have been many famous cases of the wrong person being
convicted of murder.
Christians would also add
that the death penalty removes any chance of reform. Jesus refused to approves
the stoning to death of a woman caught in adultery (mentioned above). The
Catechism of the Catholic Church accepts that the death penalty may be used by
the state but says that it is hardly ever necessary, and Pope John Paul II has
spoken out very forcefully against capital punishment.
Prejudice is forming a
judgment about someone before the facts are known. Discrimination is acting
upon that judgment to treat someone unfairly. Examples of prejudice are racism
and sexism. It can also be based on age and wealth. Often prejudice is
unthinking and not deliberate. When an organisation has practices which tend to
treat a racial group less well, even if it is not deliberate, this is called
‘institutional racism’.
Jesus treated all people with
kindness, especially outcasts of society – sinners, prostitutes,
tax-collectors. He spoke to Samaritans, who Jews hated, and even told the
parable of Good Samaritan, which put the Samaritan as an example to be
followed. St James, in his letter, speaks strongly against any favouritism on
the basis of wealth.
War can never be a good
thing. People die and property is destroyed. Christians would want to avoid war
if at all possible. However, Christians have long realised that sometimes war
might be the only way for an injustice to be overcome or resisted.
The Catholic Church developed
the idea of a ‘Just War’. This is a War which could be justified. Even so, it
might not be necessary, but Christians could take part with a clear conscience.
There are six conditions:
The Church has always felt
able to send chaplains to accompany troops and followers of Jesus included
solidiers.
Though war might sometimes be
unavoidable, all Christians would prefer a just and lasting peace rather than
bloodshed. Through the centuries, Christians have worked hard to end war and to
stop suffering.
Some Christians are pacifists
and believe that war can never be right. They point out that the
conditions for a just war are almost impossible to meet, especially in modern
warfare. They also note that Jesus did not lead an army, that although he was
called Messiah, he was not a military leader. He stopped his disciples fighting
in the Garden of Gethsemane when he was arrested and said ‘those who live by
the sword die by the sword.’ He also said ‘Love your enemies’.
References you need to know for this section:
Respect for all people James 2: 1-9
The forgiving father
Lk 15: 11-32
References you need to read for this section:
The paralysed man Mk 2:
1-12
The centurions servant Lk
7: 1-10
The practice of justice and
reconciliation Philemon