UNFORGIVABLE  SIN 

As priest, in black suit and white collar,

I often get collared by someone with

a question. They spot me at a wedding

or a parish picnic. They approach.

They ask,  “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” I answer. “What’s on your mind?”

They say, “I have often wondered. Is there

such a thing as an unforgivable sin?”

I have been asked that at least a dozen times.

And believe it or not, I have an answer.”

My answer: “With God no. With us, yes.”

With that, they wrinkle their face

till it’s in the shape of a question mark.

Sometimes I add. “Oh, I know - it’s in

the Bible - that there is such a thing as

an unforgivable sin.” 

Sometimes I even add, “Do you want 
to know the Bible text? It's Matthew 12:32;
Mark 3: 29;  and Luke 12:10. 

If I say that much, I add, “Everyone,

Matthew, Mark, Luke, -  Martha, Mary 
and the woman at the well - along with 
Peter and Judas - everyone…. Everyone wonders if  something they said or did 
in their life will be forgiven. Good news: 

it can  be forgiven - 70 times 7 times."

I might continue: "Forgiveness by God, 
not the problem. Forgiveness by ourselves 
or worries whether others will forgive us - 
now that can be a hidden  problem."

And I add: "Tell that to the heresy court if I’m

turned in for what seems to be the opposite

of what’s in the scriptures. And don’t forget

to add in my favor: Psalm 130: 8, 'For with 
the Lord there is kindness and with him 
there is fullness of redemption and he will redeem Israel from all their sins.'”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
Painting, "At Eternity's Gate"
[1890]  by Vincent Van Gogh