January 2, 2019

It was a normal morning in the Land of the Dead and everyone was doing their daily duties; but there was one soul who was rather tormented: Emilio Lopez Garcia was on his way to church to confess a burden he had been carrying in his heart for some time. Arrived on the spot, he immediately entered the confessional and began to speak:
"Father forgive me because I have sinned, 4 years have passed since my last confession!"
"Speak too son!"

"I violated the eighth commandment * and lied before the judge."
"What happened ?"
"When I was asked by Attorney Cortez if I was seeking revenge, I was not entirely honest in my answer. Father knows, when Hector was little he was a child full of life, he had a smile that lit up every room he entered, the most affectionate in the world. Ernesto took all this from him and he didn't deserve it at all, so yes in my heart I hoped that he would suffer and pay for everything he did; for a moment I even thought I could lure him to the Final Death if there was the slightest chance and now I feel like I too have become a monster. "
"It is one thing to think that you want to do an action, another is to really do it. You should know that my son!"
"I know but you see father, when Hector was very sick I almost lost faith in God. I thought he had abandoned us and that we would never have justice ..."
"But things went differently, Hector is fine now, he's back with his family and De la Cruz is in prison paying for eternity for the crimes he committed. You just have to forgive yourself Emilio!"
"It's the advice I've given to other people too but applying it for yourself is more difficult than I thought."
"I know it is not easy! De la Cruz killed your child and you feel guilty because you feel you have not protected him enough and therefore you have felt lost, abandoned and you have felt a pinch of revenge in the heart; it is normal for any parent and God won't blame you for that. But if you really feel you need forgiveness, you can go back to church and help out volunteering like you used to, I really need help here! "
"Thank you Father Alfonso, your words have been a great comfort to me and for the work in the Church, I will start tomorrow!"
"Very good son! And I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
"Amen!"
"Praised be Jesus Christ." "Always be praised." And in the end Emilio left the church with a lighter heart than when he had entered even though probably a bit of resentment towards Ernesto De la Cruz would have remained a part of himself for the rest of his afterlife as he had sworn that he would never forgiven.

*Don't give false testimony