The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life
訳本がないので、仕方なく英語で読んでいます。面白い問題があったので、リンリンとメイメイに聞いてみました。Giles is murdered by a Communist just as he leaves the church after his confession. Giles had been away from the church for 28 years. He just about satisfied the requirements for a good confession, having only imperfect contrition, aroused during this week’s mission. The Communist demanded to know if Giles was a Catholic, threatening to kill him if he was. Fearlessly, Giles said: “Yes, thank God!” Did Giles go immediately to heaven, or did he go to purgatory for a while? Give a reason for your answer.メイメイの返事I don’t think getting into heaven is so transactional of a process that God would send him to purgatory for having “imperfect contrition”, so I think he probably went to heaven.リンリンの返事Even though he had been away from the church for 28 years, his faith in God remained strong even when he was faced with death.私の考えもっと別の見方もできる。28年間、彼は何をしたのか、わからない。人を殺したかもしれない。そして刑務所に27年間入って、出てきたところで、教会に告解に行き、刑務所からでたうれしさが懺悔の気持ちより増して、不完全な悔悛だった。しかし、告解は秘跡である。完全に許される。そもそも完全な悔悛があるだろうか。そして、死を前に信仰宣言する。私は彼は天国に行ったと思う。There is another way to look at it. What he did during those 28 years is unknown. He may have killed someone, gone to prison, and confessed to the church after being released. His joy could have been greater than his penitence, which would make it an incomplete penitence. But confession is a sacrament which is completely forgivable. We can also question if complete repentance even exists. And before his death, he declares his faith, so I think he went to heaven.