His Forgiveness

I know this older man of a different faith and I am worried about him. He was diagnosed with several inoperable tumors and I believe he is terminally ill. My fear is for his outlook, not his medical condition. Nothing can be done, medically.

Spiritually, he is a loving, caring man. At least he is now, at this point in his life. He had a checkered past. He feels his guilt strongly. However, the past decade or more, he has completely turned around his life. He has been working long hours and studying even longer hours to become a man of the cloth within his faith. When he found out about his medical troubles, he became convinced that God was still punishing him.

The way I see it, he is not being punished. He is blessed. If this had happened years ago, he could not have dealt with it. I just wish I could help him understand how wonderful it is that he has turned around his life, even though it might, and probably will, be ending soon. At least he has the chance to prepare himself. He is frightened, I suspect, and as mentioned before, still feeling guilty about his past. He doesn't seem to realize what a brave and difficult thing it was for him to turn that old life around and aim it in a different direction.

I do not know him well enough to visit or even speak to him personally. I hear all of these things through a friend of his. I do not know how to help bring peace to his heart and soul - except by prayer.

Dear, sweet Father in heaven, bless this man abundantly with your mercy, your compassion, and the knowledge of your forgiveness. Even if he cannot hear you speak directly to him, bless him at least with the ability to hear your words through someone else's mouth so he finds peace while he waits for you to call him to you for final rest.