What about renouncing one's faith to save one's FAMILY?

[shewis]

Hello,

I have a follow up question to the one that was answered by Fr. Serpa on Wednesday August 6th around 2pm. The question was “Can one renounce his faith if threatened with death?”

I have always wondered in that same situation, except instead of threatending to kill you they are going to kill your wife, or your children UNLESS you renounce your faith.

Is it the same answer? My gut says yes and that God would take care of my family. I would like to think I can die for my faith, but I know it would be harder to see my loved one’s die.

Thank you,

shewis

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

Your gut is right. And yes, it would be extremely difficult. This is what our Lady had to endure: witnessing the suffering and death of her son and not being able to do anything about it.

For the person who refuses to deny the Lord and must see his or her family members suffer as the result, the temptation is to think that one is the cause of such suffering. But one is not. It the one who is insisting that one deny God that is responsible for their suffering. In the end, though, such fidelity to God will not only benefit the innocent family members’ salvation, but it can also benefit the one who perpetrated the whole thing. Such HAS happened in the past.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.