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Ukrainian Orthodoxy |
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Orthodoxie ukrainienne |
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On Abortion
Question:
I have a question regarding the topic of abortion that hopefully you can give me some spiritual guidance on.
A Protestant friend of mine feels deeply distressed over the regrettable sin she committed of abortion while still involved in her previous, abusive marriage. Under some pressure from her husband, she was told to have an abortion.
To this day, she regrets having made that decision and was wondering what course of action she should take to seek Our Lord's forgiveness?
Can you tell me if her sin is forgivable and if so, what course of action should she take in seeking the Lord's forgiveness? I tried to comfort her by telling her that our sins ARE forgiven if we confess, repent and pray/fast. I hope I have given her some accurate advice according to our beliefs?
Answer:
Very Reverend Ihor Kutash kutash@unicorne.org
The only sin that is unforgiveable is the one of which one does not repent - and even then the only reason it is unforgiven is not that the Father will not forgive, but that we do not repent.
It seems to me that your friend has regretted the action with great distress for a long time. Regret can be turned into repentance when we come with it to the Lord - as often as the distress is felt. You are right in assuring her of God's forgiveness. An important part of the process of healing is that one also forgives oneself. This is not the same as excusing oneself. A wrong action remains wrong no matter how often we try to explain it away. Repentance is acknowledging that it was wrong and turning to the Lord over and over in penitence and gratitude for the forgiveness He always offers so abundantly.
We Orthodox believe that a human life begins at conception. The state of those humans whose earthly lives have been cut short while they were yet in the womb is a mystery known to Him - we may feel confident that He does not abandon them for He is the Lord of Life and not death. There are those who remember the unborn in their prayers as a way of including them in their lives and the lives of the families into which they would have been born.
Folks in Protestant churches do not as a rule remember the departed in their prayers (a great source of comfort and strength is thus alas, in my view, not utilized by them). Perhaps your friend may take comfort in the knowledge that her little one, who never got the chance to take much part in the glories and tragedies of human life on earth, is nonetheless held up before the Lord each time the Divine Liturgy is celebrated by which Heaven and earth are joined over and over again until that union becomes manifest to all the universe.[ Home ] [ Articles ] [ Prayer ] [ Saints ] [ Theophilus ] [ Q & A ] [About Us] [ 
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