Whenever you feel guilty, even if it is
because you have consciously committed a sin, a serious sin, something you have
kept doing many times, never let the devil deceive you by allowing him to
discourage you. My beloved, may every fall…always become for us a small step
toward a higher degree of perfection. Maximilian
Kolbe.
I am reading a very
challenging book entitled, “Unbound” by Neal Lozano. In it he takes the reader
deep into his soul to pull out, by the roots, the source of the sins we
habitually commit due to patterns of behavior we developed as events in our
lives hurt or scared or scarred us. It is fascinating to rediscover the
patterns which govern our adult lives. Why are we so addicted to gossip? Why do
we live in fear of being discovered for the “frauds” we think we are? Why are
we always feeling sorry for ourselves, or looking to be offended, or constantly battling anger, resentment, self-importance,
desires for revenge, tendencies toward unforgiveness, or a need to control
everyone in our lives? Well, I can only say the book has changed my life, but
it isn’t easy. I have come to realize how special I am to God, how much He
loves me, and how He really did have a dream for my life when He placed me in
my mother’s womb. But life has had its way of changing my path and because of
events which made me vulnerable to following ways which were not God’s ways, I
changed my path from the one He formed for me to one that led me away from the
profound reality of who I am. In truth, we have all done this to a degree. We
can all say that we have trouble totally realizing the amazing love God has for
us and tapping daily into that love. It is something we all crave, yet we shy
away from claiming it. Maybe we don’t really believe in it; maybe we feel unworthy;
maybe we never experienced unconditional love before. Well, it is never too
late to start. The first way anyone can do this, besides reading this book, is
to do some real soul searching and list those emotions and patterns of behavior
that rule our lives and cause us to feel dark and sad rather than light and
joyful. They are not from God, and like weeds in a garden, should be pulled
out, confessed, and thrown away for good. God will fill the empty spaces with
His love and grace and we will walk in the light of a new life. So, we will
begin today to look at the very Catholic sacrament of Reconciliation. It is not
at all what many people think, nor will you find any real understanding of it
in the secular world. You will only discover its true value in the Word of God.
We begin today by simple looking at a few Scripture passages, and the
explanation of the sacrament found in the Catechism.
1 John 1:9: If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.
Luke 6:37 Do
not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be
condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
The
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 1422 "Those who approach the sacrament of
Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him,
and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded
by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their
conversion."
1423 It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes sacramentally present Jesus'
call to conversion, the first step in returning to the Father from whom one has strayed by sin.
It is called the sacrament
of Penance, since it consecrates the Christian sinner's personal and
ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction. 1424 It is called the sacrament of confession, since the
disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this
sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a "confession" -
acknowledgment and praise - of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful
man.
It is called the sacrament
of forgiveness, since by the priest's sacramental absolution God grants the
penitent "pardon and peace."
It is called the sacrament
of Reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the life of God who
reconciles: "Be reconciled to God." He
who lives by God's merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord's call: “Go; first be reconciled to your brother.”
Act of Hope: O
my God, trusting in your promises and because you are faithful, powerful and
merciful, I hope, through the merits of Jesus Christ, for the pardon of my
sins, final perseverance and the blessed glory of heaven. Amen!
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