Last week’s sermon entitled: Suicide — When Sadness Suffocates is up on our website: www.cmm.org.za. The sermon by no means covers all that could or should be said about such tragedy, but the hope is that it will nudge us towards a less judgmental and more compassionate place of understanding. Here is a brief summary:
- Suicide is not the unforgiveable sin.
- Suicide does not defeat God.
- Suicide is most often the result of an illness called depression.
- Suicide is often done as an act of love — thinking it will free others of the burden that one feels one has become.
- Suicide causes immeasurable pain and grief (and guilt) for the living.
- Suicide may end the physical pain, but I wonder when we meet Jesus face-to-face whether we will be invited by him to deal with all the unresolved areas of our lived life.
- Suicide highlights the need for all of us to be sensitive and available to each other to listen.
- Suicide highlights that we are (+) powerless to change/cause/control another person’s life.
- Prayer, medication, counselling/therapy, diet, exercise, all can contribute to healing.
Suicide is not a desire to die so much as a fervent wish not to go on living.
In the light of this darkness I remind you of the promise-filled road to Emmaus that we walked three weeks ago: • Jesus meets us on the road paved with pain • Jesus comes to us even before we invite him • Jesus’ presence is not dependent on our ability to see him • Jesus has already defeated what has defeated us • Our eyes are open to Jesus among us when we do the Word.
I pray that these promises will pull us through the pain, Alan
