Fr Severiano Phiri, Kimberley – The Perspectives column Suicide is caused by illness, not sin by Ron Rolheiser OMI (August 13-19) refers.
People who have come to me contemplating suicide were normal people. Almost all had one story in common: that life in this world was painful because they felt they were not loved in the way they expected by parents, wives, husbands, relatives, church members.
In short, another person close to them was inflicting pain on their lives. The Gospel (John 14:23) says: If anyone loves me he will keep my word and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him . How blessed are those who hear those words!
Do those close to us feel the presence of God in us? Imagine someone who is feeling suicidal going to church, and the person next to him or her refuses to shake hands because, as Patricia W fears, one may pick up germs from the hand of a sick person (Michael Shackleton’s Open Door column Getting sick from hands at Mass? August 20-26).
Let’s change our attitude towards others and listen to them. St John says we have power to heal broken hearts. We may save someone from suicide. To those now contemplating suicide, I say: know that you are not sick, and that God loves you the way you are, no matter what.
Share your problems with a person you feel comfortable with. May the souls of those who have committed suicide rest in peace.
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