Divine forgiveness, repentance and the existence of Hell: reflections on the need for repentance and individual responsibility on the spiritual path.

2023-10-19 22:19:31

The article by Fabrizio Cannone, entitled “When God does not forgive, or the need for repentance,”

published in the Nuova Bussola Quotidiana on 10/17/2023, it addresses a crucial theme in Christian teaching often explained in a misleading way: divine forgiveness, repentance and the existence of Hell.

The text argues that God always desires to forgive, but this forgiveness requires the individual’s repentance, since the effect of divine grace depends on man’s free choice to repent and ask for forgiveness. The article questions some erroneous interpretations related to divine mercy, highlighting the need for repentance as an essential component of the forgiveness process.

Father Salvatore Maurizio Sessa, a theologian of the Missionaries of Mary, offers further reflections in a book entitled “When God does not forgive,” underlining the correlation between justice and mercy, forgiveness and punishment, and the need for repentance. It is stated that mercy does not deny justice and that it can only exist in truth.

Furthermore, the article highlights the theme of Hell, underlining the importance of not denying its existence or hoping for universal salvation. It is stated that denying Hell is an error of faith, and the article invites us to reconsider the importance of individual responsibility and repentance as an integral part of the spiritual path.

The article takes up the traditional Christian conception, today concretely questioned . However, taking into account the experience I have gained over the last few years, I would go even further. That is, I believe the question is current regarding our purpose in life which is important because it is precisely in this life that our earthly life, but also eternal life, is played out.

In this regard, I would add some considerations…

After the encounter with the Event of Christ, which represents infinite Grace, it becomes essential to reflect on our posture and participation. How do we contribute to the coming of the Kingdom of God in this world? How do we embrace the truth? It is important to consider that God cannot save us without our will and awareness, especially when we follow the dominant conformism. In this context, every believer must evaluate how they have positioned themselves in relation to contemporary challenges, such as that of vaccine authoritarianism, which has threatened the priority of the ultimate good of humanity.

This is just one example that illustrates the sense of submission that is also manifested in the Church’s timely adoption of guidelines proposed by globalism, which often represent a subtle antithesis to Christian values.

However, considering our individual possibilities, the pandemic period has highlighted a mentality that is often based on fragile foundations, instead of solid principles. Although many profess Christ as their point of reference, evil seems to spread in this age. While confession can offer the unique good of salvation, responding to the call as a mission, as an awareness of reality, represents a much greater challenge, especially without community support.

The fundamental problem is that God rarely intervenes directly in the work of man, unless they are men touched by the Grace of God, who request it. Unfortunately, today, few seem to have a complete understanding of the reality or subjugation of humanity in the current age. Now, how many Saints are aware of the reality of things today and of the extreme subjection of man in our era? Sad as it is to say, not the Pope, except intermittently. And he never gives full clarity on certain issues, and this was seen in the Synod.

In summary, the concept of sin seems to encompass responsibility for our actions and omissions, the management of our time, and the desire to build a deep connection with Christ. But it goes further, addressing submission to power in a metaphysical sense. Today, power acts directly on human reality, influencing the mind, the sense of belonging and the individual’s goalobscuring discernment and permeating even the most intimate sphere of the human being, to the point of involving the blood and his own cells, according to a plan of omnipotence.