More Thoughts on Forgiveness

Last night, I performed the usual Saturday night ritual of watching 48 Hours Mystery. This was a really, really disturbing case, to say the least. Here goes with a description:

A college-aged son, Bart, hired a couple of hitmen to murder his parents and little brother. After dinner one evening, the four family members returned home to find a gunman in their living room. Four shots, one into the chest of both the mom and big bro, one into the shoulder of Bart himself., just to make it look like Bart wasn’t involved.

Two years and a manhunt later, Bart was finally caught and convicted. The jury then had to do the sentencing, too. This being Texas, conspiracy for Murder 1 can still carry the death penalty.

Now, keep in mind the silent person in all this: Bart’s father. The man who was targeted to be shot, the man who’s son killed his wife and youngest son. The father is pleading for the jury to spare his son’s life-to only sentence him to life in prison. In interviews with the father, he stated, “That first night of the shooting, I forgave all those involved. I wanted to be able to move forward myself and I couldn’t do that if I carried the anger and hurt from the murders.”

Wow. Can any of us even imagine being in this man’s position? There are so many angles to this story, but what will always stick out ifs how the father could forgive and move on so easily. Was it really that easy? He certainly made it ;look so.

And, with apologies for being so tardy, I now post a second blog from Dr. William Sameck who, after September’s newsletter, wrote me some of his thoughts on forgiveness which I’d like to share. Here goes: