The Price of Forgiveness
Posted: 18 Dec 2008 06:27 PM CST
Six of Scott and Janet Williss children died in an explosion caused by a truck driver involved in the licenses-for-bribes scheme that landed former Illinois Gov. George Ryan in jail in 2006. The Baptist pastor and his wife say theyre willing to meet with Ryan and forgive him, but only if hes willing to pay the price required to be eligible for forgiveness authentic repentance. Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass spoke with the Willises on Tuesday, in the context of the news that Ryans legal representatives have sent a clemency petition to President Bush seeking an early release from prison. Heres part of what the Christian couple told Kass regarding a possible meeting with Ryan: Scott said he and Janet prayed on it, and thought about it some more, and, finally, set down some requirement for their meeting, Kass wrote. We wanted to talk to your readers and to Mr. Ryan about what forgiveness is about, Scott said. He told me of a book that has given them comfort, Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Brauns, which includes this definition: Forgiveness is the commitment by the offended to pardon graciously the repentant from moral liability and to be reconciled to that person, although not all consequences are necessarily eliminated. Continued Kass, I asked them to explain. It means that there are consequences for our actions, Scott said. Hes paying for those actions. But if hed truly like to be forgiven, then wed have to sit down with him and go over the specific counts, like when he killed the investigation into the crash that took our children. And wed have to see if there is true repentance. There can only be true repentance if he does admit he did all these things and that they were wrong. If he wouldnt respond positively, it wouldnt be maddening as it would be pitiable. Im not going to get into saying, I forgive you, if he doesnt want to admit it. If we meet, I will ask very specific questions. I would like to know he knows hes done wrong. If he doesnt take responsibility, then there is no reason to continue. Wrote Kass, Janet and Scott believe, from a lifetime of reading the Bible and practicing their Christian faith, that many of us have it all wrong when it comes to forgiveness. Someone does something wrong, they admit sorrow for some vague offense and we feel pressure to forgive them. Its all wrapped up in a neat package. Thats too easy. It doesnt work that way, Janet said. Mistakes are mistakes. Children make mistakes. We all make mistakes. But if a person were truly repentant, then its not a mistake, its not an accident, it was deliberate. God doesnt forgive us unless we repent. But how can we humans know? Thats the tricky part. You have to be willing to accept the consequences. Tom McFeely
. I haven't picked on ward in awhile, and I'm having too much fun 
Am I fogiven ward? 
He just didn't get caught (at the time).
I'm a bad weather reporter con, just looked outside so I'll try again:
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