www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Judge Greer asked to leave his church

I would like to address this as I have heard it before, and respectfully disagree with it.

My basis is Christ Himself. When He forgave his executioners, saying "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," had his executioners shown any sign of repentance?


Didn't Our Lord's action, in forgiving those who were still actively in the process of killing Him, show that we are to do the same?

Also, forgiving doesn't mean standing by and doing nothing. We can forgive Terri Schiavo's executioners and still continue to try and stop them.

There is nothing to take up with St. John Damascene. St. John�s call to forgiveness does not exclude the Gospel command from Matthew 18 to hold people accountable. St. John�s (and others�) call for acting in the spirit of forgiveness includes (but is not limited to) the need to ensure that one�s call to repentance is not done in a hypocritical way and that it be done without a personal grudge (since these can lead us to death). Nowhere in St. John�s writings does he reject the Christian imperative to work for justice.

I agree that our writings here have done little to witness to Greer. Last week I wrote a letter to Judge Greer asking him to reconsider and to grant a full, new review of the Schiavo case. [I wrote because his listed phone number is perpetually busy.] Others who wish to contact him can do so at:

The Honorable George W. Greer
Judge, Sixth Judicial Circuit
315 Court Street, Room 484
Clearwater, Florida 33756
Phone: 727-464-3933

I also sent e-mails and regular letters to the President, my congressional representatives, and the leaders of both political parties in the House and Senate asking them to take action. I am horrified that they have not been able to save Terri Schiavo. I do not know how people can sleep at night knowing they have not taken some form of action.

TG,

The same Lord who asked his Father to forgive his executioners also instructed the Church to discipline those who have done wrong and not to have anything to do with people who refuse to hear the Church (see the quote from Matthew 18 above). We cannot ignore this. Indeed, the spirit of forgiveness demands this. As you noted, forgiveness does not mean that we do not continue to oppose evil and, in this case, try to save Terri Schiavo.

Forgiveness can exclude penance, but it never excludes justice.

Admin

Dear Administrator:

I commend you for your writing, and Henry, and any others that may have written and not mentioned it in posts.

Dear Admin:

You're right about repentance being necessary for forgiveness. I hadn't read the background before I posted. The way the news presented it here one would have thought--as I did--that the man was arbitrarily tossed from his church for doing what he was sworn to do.

BOB

Several professional friends and I emailed Judge Greer our requests to reconsider at this address:

courts@jud6.org


Good Luck,
Sam

Thank you, sam! I've emailed and will tell friends.
CS

djs,

Thank you for your reminder of the need to exercise charity at all times, most especially with individuals such as Judge Greer. God knows that he is doing far more harm to himself spiritually than he could ever do to Terri.

My passions tend to get the better of me in this case because I sometimes think about my own daughter and how painful it must be for Bob and Mary Schindler to watch a court exercise its power against their daughter's innocent life. I am sure that if they could they would give their own lives for their daughter. Such is the sacrificial love that a parent feels towards his or her child!

I do also fear the growing collusion between the courts and the medical establishment in this case, since it can only lead to more horrors for the disabled and the ill, many of whom I have counted among my friends over the years.

I will only say that my family and I faithfully pray each night for all of those who are involved in this case, even for those who are on the side of the culture of death. God desires us to love our enemies, since he does not desire that any one should be lost, but that all come to repentance. I do not wish Greer, Schiavo or Seelos any harm, only their full repentance for their actions. The real tragedy (although I don't want to diminsh what is happening directly to the Schindlers and to Terri) is what is unfolding in the hearts of these men. I have no doubt, though, that when and if Terri passes through this ordeal, she will be the first one to offer intercession before the heavenly throne imploring the divine compassion upon those responsible.

Thanks again for the reminder of the need to maintain a supernatural perspective.

Blessed Pascha,

Gordo