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Dear Father Paul

Dear Father Paul: I often feel that God is angry with me and that I am never going to become good enough to be forgiven. I just can't seem to measure up and it makes me want to just give up even trying. — Rick, Peachtree City.

Dear Rick: I have some wonderful good news for you. God isn't mad at you at all! God is not some angry old man with a long white beard sitting on a cloud just waiting for you to mess up so he can zap you! In fact, he has already forgiven you and is just (eagerly) waiting for you to receive his forgiveness as a free gift through faith in Jesus Christ.

Truth is, you will never be good enough, Rick, and neither will I. No amount of "turning over new leafs" will do the job, either. II Corinthians 5:18-19 is a passage in the Bible that we quote a lot at Church Of The Holy Cross: "All this is from God, who reconciled (note this is past tense) us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: (which is) that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them." Bob, God loves you. God is not mad at you, God has already forgiven you and he will never leave you or forsake you.

Dear Father Paul: Did any of the early church fathers have anything to say about abortion?— Roberta, Fayetteville.

Dear Roberta: The early church fathers (those who followed soon after the original apostles) had quite a lot to say about the subject. Every single one who addressed the subject, without exception, spoke and/or wrote in strong opposition to abortion.

Here are just a few of many, many examples: "You shall not kill the child by obtaining an abortion. Nor again, shall you destroy him after he is born." (Barnabas c. 120 A.D.) "We say that those women who use drugs to bring on an abortion commit murder. And we also say that they will have to give an account to God for the abortion." (Athenagoras c. 175 A.D.) And, finally, "We may not destroy the fetus in the womb, while as yet the human being derives blood from other parts of the body for its sustenance. To hinder a birth is merely a speedier way to kill a human. It does not matter whether you take away a life that has been born, or destroy one that is not yet born." (Tertullian c. 197 A.D.)

If you are considering an abortion, spend some time alone with just you and God. Ask him what you should do. If you have had an abortion (and this goes for dads who have been in agreement with the abortion of their child) and you feel overwhelmed by guilt, again, spend some time alone with God. He is waiting to wrap his arms of love and forgiveness around you.

Father Paul Massey will answer your question. Write him at paulmassey@earthlink.net or Box 510, Fayetteville, Georgia 30214.