Fr. John / Fr. Jay,

I would like to ask , if a person continues to live in sin and refuses to depart from it and reasons out " Even God forgives the sinful ones", meaning that he or she can live a sinful life and enjoy it and in the end just ask for forgiveness knowing that God will forgive all their sins, no matter what. Isnt this taking advantage of God's kindness and mercy ? I am saying this because my wife abandoned me and our daughter a year and a half ago. She left us for someone else, who in turn is married with two kids. Despite my repeated pleas for her to return , she refuses and she readily admits that she is living a sinful life but has no plans whatsoever in letting go of it. Also, I know that despite of what she is doing to us , in God's eyes she is still my wife and I am doing my best to be faithful and loyal to her as I can, even though it is difficult without her. Please pray for me and my daughter. Thank you.

You are absolutely right. Yes, God has the power to forgive any sin, but His mercy in a large part depends on the sorrow of the sinner. It doesn't sound like your wife is particularly sorry for her sins, and while a "deathbed conversion" scene might make for good drama someday, in the end God cares less about the tears on her cheek than the contrition in her soul. Pray for her, but realize she is an adult and she has made this choice of her own free will. It's one thing to fall into sin and get yourself out of it; it is quite another to fall into a sin and decide you like it and want to keep doing it.

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