Day 297: The Cross of Suicide (2280-2283)
It’s Day 297!!
SUICIDE
We are talking about very serious things
Most of our lives have been touched by suicide
What does the Church officially teach with regard to taking one’s own life?
It is a grave sin
The Church continues to have compassion and hope and prays for all those who take their own lives
Let’s pray!!
Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven, we give you praise and glory and thank you. We thank you for your Son, Jesus. We thank you for your Holy Spirit that you have poured out into our hearts, that we can call you Abba, Father. We thank you for making us your children through Baptism and the Power of the Holy Spirit, through faith. We ask that you please, regardless of where we are right now, be with us now. Be with us in this moment, be with us as we look at this serious and grave issue of suicide. We ask that you please protect our hearts, especially those hearts that are grieving. Lord God, the hearts that are grieving, we ask that you please protect them in a unique way, strengthen them in a unique way, and heal them. Heal all of our hearts that have been wounded by abortion two days ago, euthanasia yesterday, and today suicide. We ask that you please give us hearts of compassion, hearts of truth, hearts that are courageous in being committed to living out your will in all things. Jesus, be with us now. And it is in your name that we ask all these things. Amen”
So there we have it…
Each sentence is telling us something very critical
Paragraph 2280 says, “Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.”
People often say, “It’s my life. What does it matter? It’s my life.”
We are not the owners of our lives
Let’s listen to Fr. Mike’s story about counseling a person with suicidal thoughts…
Paragraph 2281 says, “Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.”
WE BELONG TO EACH OTHER!!
Let’s listen to Fr. Mike’s story about talking to family members of people who have committed suicide…
It’s natural to feel anger when a loved one commits suicide
Our lives matter to a lot of people
Maybe it just matters to a couple of people
Our lives don’t have to matter to thousands in order to matter
YOUR LIFE MATTERS!!
In the past, the Church set some pretty strict disciplines surrounding those who committees suicide
Suicide is a social contagion
We belong to each other
Let’s listen to Fr. Mike talk about an article about some islands in the South Pacific…
Suicide brings attention so someone else wanted attention and did the same thing and that is why it is a social contagion
For years the Church would not allow funeral Mass for suicide victims and they were not allowed to be buried in a Catholic cemetery
The Church understood the nature of this social contagion
We have to balance the reality of being stewards of our own lives and that by taking our own lives, we offend the love of neighbor and love of God
Paragraph 2282 says, “If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary cooperation in suicide is contrary to the moral law. Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.”
Suicide is always going to be wrong
Suicide is always going to be a grave sin
Let’s listen to Fr. Mike talk about 9/11 and then about spies who take cyanide capsules…
Remember that for a sin to be mortal, there are three conditions
Grave matter, yes suicide is a grave matter
Full knowledge that it is grave matter
Full consent of the will to commit the sin
Many people would not have full consent of the will if they are being driven by mental illness, suffering, hardship, or torture
Paragraph 2283 says, “We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.”
We can still hope for them
St. Augustine said, “We don’t know what happens between the bridge and the water.”
Let’s listen to Fr. Mike talk about the Golden Gate Bridge…
As Christians, there should be no stigma whatsoever about mental illness like there is no stigma when it comes to physical illness
Human beings in body, mind, soul, and spirit can be wounded
So why not go to someone who can care for us in our woundedness?
There are many people who are tempted to suicide and decided not to and years later, they are grateful that they did not commit suicide
There are people listening who are tempted and do not see a way forward
God has given you a future
It may be a challenge
You do not have to face them alone
If you find yourself tempted, we are praying for you right now
If you find yourself grieving over the loss of someone you loved, we are praying for you right now
We would not pray for them if we didn’t think prayers could help
We have not given up hope
We never will
If you are struggling, we are praying for you
Do not give up hope
If you are grieving, tinged with anger, we are praying for you
Do not give up hope
If you find yourself in a place where you can’t see any other way, we are praying for you
Do not give up hope
You are not alone
Fr. Mike is praying FOR YOU!!
Please pray for Fr. Mike and for each other!!
I cannot WAIT…