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realmof_themuse Luke 6:37
Jan. 31st, 2009 11:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sacredeyes5. Luke 6:37 - Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned, forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.
It had been a long day of silence when a man walked into St. Juliens. As usual Peninnah made her presence known but did not interfere. She watched him. He seemed normal, well dressed but not overly so. He had a brief case and appeared to be coming from work. It was a moment before he approached her.
“Is the priest in?” He seemed nervous.
“I am afraid he is away but perhaps I can be of service.” She kept her voice quiet and warm.
“I want to give confession.”
Peninnah sighed and motioned for him to join her sitting in the pews. “I can not administer confession but I can listen. Confession is a priest’s way of sending our request for forgiveness. I believe God will listen without an intermediary if you truly believe in what you say.”
He sat and a brief smile passed through his expression.
“I am a member of the church. I abide the same laws of confidentiality and secrecy. What you say, if you need, will not pass from my lips.” She was trying to encourage him because he clearly needed to speak of something.
“I…” He looked down at the brief case as he set it beside his feet.
“I am here to listen. It is not my place to judge you but it is my place to listen to your problems.” She waited while he found his courage.
“I cheated on my wife.” He finally spoke with great guilt.
“You regret this action?” She asked softly.
“Yes.” He looked up. “I was drinking and… I told my wife I don’t drink anymore but I have been. I don’t even remember the woman’s name, or maybe.”
“It is alright. Being here is proof that you seek to do what is right and shows your love for the woman you have married.” Peninnah went on with the same comforting tone. “Will you be honest with her as you have been here?”
“I don’t want to lose her.” The way he cracked was sad.
“If her love is strong enough she will forgive you. God forgives out of love for he knows while we are created in his image we are not perfect. The important point is that we know we have committed a wrong and ask to be forgiven while we improve.”
“What if it is not enough?” He was still very worried.
“Tell me, are you an alcoholic?”
He only nodded in reply.
“Perhaps your first step should be to admit your problem to her. An illness is much harder to overcome alone. If she sees you wish help her love will be enough. The desire to be forgiven and truly meaning it can be a great strength.”
“I want to believe you but…”
“Perhaps speaking with God himself will ease your mind? I will be here still if you wish to speak again.” Peninnah smiled.
“I... yes, I should pray.” He looked toward the altar. “What if He doesn’t forgive me?”
“God loves you even now. He loves us most when we are the weakest because He knows that is when we need Him most. His love helps us to find our footing and stand once we’ve fallen. All we must do is ask to be reminded when we have forgotten how much He loves us.”
He smiled and left his briefcase to go pray. Peninnah let him to his quiet for some time. He prayed long and when he returned the evidence of tears were apparent.
“I want to thank you.” He offered his hand and Peninnah took it. “I want to be honest with my wife.”
“She is lucky to have such an honorable husband who feels so highly of her.” Peninnah let go of his hand. “I will be here if ever you need to speak with me or with God.”
“I will remember.” He stepped away.
“You briefcase.” Peninnah picked it up and followed.
“Thank you.” He took it from her. “I forgot it with everything else.”
“To forget an item is a minor thing. You remember what is important: love, forgiveness and how to ask for it.”
He didn’t say anything more before he left. Peninnah watched him go before she approached the altar and knelt to ask God once more to aid the man in what lay before him.
Words: 723
It had been a long day of silence when a man walked into St. Juliens. As usual Peninnah made her presence known but did not interfere. She watched him. He seemed normal, well dressed but not overly so. He had a brief case and appeared to be coming from work. It was a moment before he approached her.
“Is the priest in?” He seemed nervous.
“I am afraid he is away but perhaps I can be of service.” She kept her voice quiet and warm.
“I want to give confession.”
Peninnah sighed and motioned for him to join her sitting in the pews. “I can not administer confession but I can listen. Confession is a priest’s way of sending our request for forgiveness. I believe God will listen without an intermediary if you truly believe in what you say.”
He sat and a brief smile passed through his expression.
“I am a member of the church. I abide the same laws of confidentiality and secrecy. What you say, if you need, will not pass from my lips.” She was trying to encourage him because he clearly needed to speak of something.
“I…” He looked down at the brief case as he set it beside his feet.
“I am here to listen. It is not my place to judge you but it is my place to listen to your problems.” She waited while he found his courage.
“I cheated on my wife.” He finally spoke with great guilt.
“You regret this action?” She asked softly.
“Yes.” He looked up. “I was drinking and… I told my wife I don’t drink anymore but I have been. I don’t even remember the woman’s name, or maybe.”
“It is alright. Being here is proof that you seek to do what is right and shows your love for the woman you have married.” Peninnah went on with the same comforting tone. “Will you be honest with her as you have been here?”
“I don’t want to lose her.” The way he cracked was sad.
“If her love is strong enough she will forgive you. God forgives out of love for he knows while we are created in his image we are not perfect. The important point is that we know we have committed a wrong and ask to be forgiven while we improve.”
“What if it is not enough?” He was still very worried.
“Tell me, are you an alcoholic?”
He only nodded in reply.
“Perhaps your first step should be to admit your problem to her. An illness is much harder to overcome alone. If she sees you wish help her love will be enough. The desire to be forgiven and truly meaning it can be a great strength.”
“I want to believe you but…”
“Perhaps speaking with God himself will ease your mind? I will be here still if you wish to speak again.” Peninnah smiled.
“I... yes, I should pray.” He looked toward the altar. “What if He doesn’t forgive me?”
“God loves you even now. He loves us most when we are the weakest because He knows that is when we need Him most. His love helps us to find our footing and stand once we’ve fallen. All we must do is ask to be reminded when we have forgotten how much He loves us.”
He smiled and left his briefcase to go pray. Peninnah let him to his quiet for some time. He prayed long and when he returned the evidence of tears were apparent.
“I want to thank you.” He offered his hand and Peninnah took it. “I want to be honest with my wife.”
“She is lucky to have such an honorable husband who feels so highly of her.” Peninnah let go of his hand. “I will be here if ever you need to speak with me or with God.”
“I will remember.” He stepped away.
“You briefcase.” Peninnah picked it up and followed.
“Thank you.” He took it from her. “I forgot it with everything else.”
“To forget an item is a minor thing. You remember what is important: love, forgiveness and how to ask for it.”
He didn’t say anything more before he left. Peninnah watched him go before she approached the altar and knelt to ask God once more to aid the man in what lay before him.
Words: 723
