Odpustenie oslobodzuje

by Ubald Rugirangoga

Otec Ubald Rugirangoga v knihe Odpustenie oslobodzuje svedčí o tom, ako Boh ušetril jeho život, aby mohol pomáhať iným získať telesné, citové aj duchovné uzdravenie.

Jeho rozprávanie o tom, ako odpustil mužovi, ktorý mu vyvraždil rodinu, a ako sa staral o jeho deti, kým bol on vo väzení, dokazuje, že milosrdenstvo môže aj v tých najbolestivejších okolnostiach našich životov priniesť pravé odpustenie.

„Ježiš, kde si?“ plačúcky som sa modlieval každý večer. Cítil som, že som ako kňaz zlyhal, pretože som síce hlásal lásku, ale došlo ku genocíde... Potom som počul, ako sa mi prihovára Boh. Ježiš chcel, aby som túto skúsenosť neskôr využil pri evanjelizácii. Vtedy som vedel, že prežijem. Vedel som, že Boh nájde riešenie.“

Pri príležitosti 25. výročia rwandskej genocídy nám otec Ubald Rugirangoga predkladá svoj dramatický príbeh. Hoci on vraždeniu unikol, prišiel o osemdesiat príbuzných a 45-tisíc farníkov. Po tejto skúsenosti prežil povolanie sprostredkúvať zmierenie a hlásať evanjelium nielen doma, ale po celom svete. V knihe Odpustenie oslobodzuje ponúka päť duchovných princípov, ktoré sú pomôckou na ceste uzdravenia bolestivej minulosti a nachádzania pokoja v Kristovi.

V roku 1994 sa svet neveriacky a s hrôzou prizeral zúrivému krviprelievaniu v Rwande. Hutuskí ozbrojenci sa vtedy rozhodli vyvraždiť populáciu Tutsiov, vrátane žien a detí. O sto dní neskôr boli polia, ulice a dokonca aj kostoly plné miliónov mŕtvych tiel. Pri príležitosti 25. výročia tejto tragickej udalosti zaznieva silné svedectvo o Božej moci, ktorá dokáže do sŕdc plných strachu a nenávisti vniesť pokoj a zmierenie.

Otec Ubald opisuje päť duchovných princípov, ktoré nás vedú ku Kristovi, nášmu jedinému zdroju trvalého pokoja:

– byť vďačný a veriť,
– rozhodnúť sa odpustiť,
– zrieknuť sa zla,
– rozhodnúť sa žiť pre Ježiša,
– žehnať.

Každá kapitola je doplnená o otázky na zamyslenie, ktoré čitateľa vedú po ceste odpustenia: od strachu k viere, od hanby k slobode, od izolácie k zmiereniu, od zatrpknutosti k milosrdenstvu a od konfliktu k pokoju.

Záverečná kapitola ponúka podnety, ako sa modliť o oslobodenie z pút strachu a nenávisti a ako nájsť pokoj. V prílohe nájdete informácie o projekte Mushaka. Ide o katechetický materiál, ktorý s veľkým úspechom využívajú mnohé rwandské farnosti a ktorý sa s istými úpravami dá aplikovať všade tam, kde treba sprostredkovať zmierenie medzi jednotlivcami alebo skupinami, ktoré sa v dôsledku násilia, traumy alebo etnických či kultúrnych rozdielov odcudzili.
Čítaj menej

Genres: Catholic

200 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2019

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book. Fr. Ubald was a beautiful priest. He was from Rwanda and he lost 85 members of his family, including his mother, in the genocide that occurred there. His story of his struggle, his healing and his mission to bring others to forgiveness and mercy is brought to life in this book.
Fr. Ubald died this year and I have such a regret that I never attended one of his healing services. However, this book gives one the tools to forgive, to heal and to bring the light of mercy to others.
I was at a Memorial Mass for him at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help. I bought five additional copies of this book to give to others and I am so glad I did.
Read this book and share it with others.

[Marge Fenelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was acquainted with Fr. Ubald and his amazing gift and message before I read the book - or at least I thought I was acquainted with him. This book sheds light, not only in this wonderful priest who God has chosen for a critical mission but also on the Rwandan genocide and the essence of forgiveness. While reading the book, I found myself going back to earlier passages time and again in order to imprint them in my heart. "Forgiveness Makes You Free" has changed me interiorly and it will change you, too. Editor Heidi Hess Saxton has done an outstanding job of pulling together the information, witness, and wisdom of a complicated issue and making it flow perfectly.

[Ann-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Fr. Ubald is a Rwandan priest, who survived the genocide. Multiple members of his family were murdered. Fr. Ubald describes and recounts the events of the genocide. And then he speaks about his mission of forgiveness and reconciliation. He started a center that brings together those who perpetuated the violence, with their actual victims. I mean, literally, he connected the man who killed the woman's child and the woman and then helped them each to forgive and heal. Over and over again. The end of each chapter there is time for reflection. Many of us haven't survived genocide, or horrific crimes, but we all have people in our lives we struggle to forgive. Fr. Ubald's book is a beautiful guide for us on a path to healing.

Here's my favorite quote (from a retreat he preached for the victims): "As Christians, we are called to forgive just as Jesus forgave from the Cross. Forgiveness is a great gift, an unconditional gift. We don't forgive because we have no more problems but because we have made a decision to be free of the burden of fear, the burden of hate, the burden of vengeance. Jesus forgave those men who betrayed him, and those who were killing him even as he died. He stayed on that Cross, and he forgave."

[Heidi Saxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you forgive the unforgiveable -- not for the sake of the one who has wronged you, but to find peace yourself? This is the question taken up by Fr. Ubald Rugirangoga, a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, which decimated the population of Rwanda through the slaughter of more than a million lives in just 100 days. Fr. Ubald lost 80 members of his family and 45000 members of his parish …. Yet he miraculously survived, and took up the call from God to return to his homeland in order to help them find healing, peace, and reconciliation.

Each chapter of the book contains two parts: a biographical narrative that describes the horrors of the genocide from his own perspective as well as the aftermath, followed by a Scripture-based reflection that guides readers to process what they have just read and apply it to their own lives. This book will change your life -- it certainly has changed mine!

[Shannan Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgiveness. Seems easier said than done. Most of us have someone to forgive, buy try to forgive someone that has killed your mother or father. Father Rugiranoga had to do that. His father was killed when he was a child, and his mother was killed during the Rwandan Genocide in the mid 1990's. In this book, not only does he talk about his story, but he talks about others who he has help to learn to forgive, including some of the people who were doing the killing during that time.

This book will put your feelings and emotions in check as you read some of the sad and heartwrenching stories that are provided. This was such an inspiring and amazing book.

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!!! Forgiveness does set you free. As a Irish Catholic, I have read a few similar books, but this book is so much more! Fr. Ubald outlines the whole genocide in detail, and doesn't spare any of the grisly details. Fr. Ubald suffered so much loss and trauma, yet has preached and practiced Forgiveness!!!

[Mark Montanye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was amazing. The accounts of the genocide in Rwanda from this book were truly disturbing, but then the story of forgiveness was very moving. To hear quotes and stories of those who survived the genocide but also those who committed the genocide. To hear one person who committed the crimes comment "I really miss the people that I killed." Or Fr. Ubald, when he met the militia solder who killed Fr. Ubald's mother and family, and the response from Fr. Ubald was a hug. Truly amazing stories of forgiveness and healing from others as well, and a country trying to move past this horrible event killing over 1,000,000 people in a period of three months.

[George Trudeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites this year. Whom the Son sets free is freed indeed!

[Mi.Chellee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know how much I needed to heal, to forgive and be forgiven until I read this book. The words of Fr. Ubald touch my heart and I felt a burden lifted

[. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of Catholics and forgiveness among the Rwandan genocide.