Unable to work to pay Restitution

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John121

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If a man is unable to work because of injuries and not provide finance to pay restitution is his salvation at stake!

St Augustine Without restitution there is no forgiveness.

Old Testament:
A thief must certainly make restitution, but if he has nothing, he must be sold to pay for his theft.

Thomas Aquinas said if restitution cannot be paid a remission or a respite must be asked for from the injured party but also in the same book says a man does not have to reveal his own crime.

In this case a priest could ask for a remission or respite from the injured party but I personally asked one and said he cannot!

I’m at a loss for what the theology behind what to do is ?
 
We are not under the old covenant! Neither is Saint Augustine or any other saint, blessed as they are, the deteminant of revealed truth.

How is it a sin if you have the will to pay but are prevented by reasons outside of your control?
 
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John if the man honestly has no immediate means of restitution, but genuinely and fully intends restitution as soon as it can be made possible, then God is aware of that intention.

I found this paragraph in https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/restitution

“In cases where an injury is irreparable, the injurer [will] be bound to do what he can so that the injured party may be content. This is called making satisfcation, to distinguish it from making [restitution]”

This consideration at least allows some leeway in the argument that you present.

If the man is sufficiently injured as to be unable to work, and doesn’t have a means of legitimately obtaining funds or of selling items that could reasonably secure money for restitution, (some sacrifice may be required)
then although people can be unmerciful, God is not without mercy if the man has a true purpose of amendment
and his honest intention is to repay the debt unquestionably as soon as he can.

God cannot be fooled about our true intentons or about our genuine efforts.
 
Common sense, please. Augustine was writing in a completely different cultural, legal and social environment. We no longer sell people to pay their debts, for example.
 
First Being unable to work because of physical and mental disability is a limiting factor in making money.

The second how do you contact injured party if it’s going to reveal a crime when priests will not help ?
 
John it is a private matter you can’t share in an open forum, so it’s hard to assess.
I know how restrictive both physical and mental issues or disabilities can be.
Someone in my family has both and is unable to work.
God will take that into consideration.
If you can’t contact the person but would if you were free to do so,
your intention is clear to God.

If practically speaking it’s impossible for you to make restitution, then give them the eternal gift of regular prayer for them,
You may not be able to pay them back, but you may be able to obtain from God, graces for the person or persons that may lead to their eternal salvation.
Perhaps it is even the case that no one else has ever prayed for them.
That is a gift beyond any price.

God is not an unjust God, John.
He is a merciful and loving God.
Talk to God about everything that’s in your heart about this.

I’ll pray for you. Trust in God’s love for you.
 
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Simply pray for the person. Prayer costs nothing but time, and even the poorest person has time.
 
I’m not sure I entirely understand the situation. Are you talking about somebody who has committed a tort and is required by a civil court to pay damages and probably also legal costs to the claimant? If that is the situation, I imagine that the court and the parties’ legal representatives would be the people to give advice. The specifics will vary depending where the proceedings took place, so it’s unlikely anyone here will be able to help to that extent. Perhaps the court can put in place a scheme for paying the damages/costs. Is the defendant bankrupt or at risk of bankruptcy? That is a situation worth looking into. Can the defendant be committed to prison if he fails to pay? When the claim was made did it seem more likely that the defendant could satisfy whatever award was made? I think you need to speak to a lawyer. This is not a theological problem.
 
It’s a theological question of salvation because of a failure to pay restitution because of not being able to work because of disabilities.

The insight about the disabilities is necessary to understand it’s not possible to pay the injured party.

And the question is what does one do if unable using canon law or other theological law in order to make sure you satisfy the requirements of salvation as stated St Augustine said a sin is not forgiven unless restitution is paid.
 
The answer is pray for the injured party if all other options cannot be satisfied !
 
Three of us have independently advised you to pray for this person, as there is a genuine inability to make restitution in a monetary way.
Offer God the heavenly treasure of sincere prayer for this person.

God bless you.
 
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Ya great thanks unfortunately I only came to read the Bible just under two years ago and realized from studying Judaism that Jesus is the Christ and messiah.
 
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