Have you received the Sacrament of Reconciliation lately?

I think this may be the Sacrament that many people struggle with. People often wonder “Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest? Why not just talk to Jesus privately and ask for forgiveness?” I believe the answer is because Jesus wanted to give us absolution (i.e. forgiveness for our sins) through His priests.

Remember when Jesus was on earth He gave His apostles the authority to forgive sins in His name. After the Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus went to His apostles. “Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20: 21-­‐23) In this Scripture we see the origin of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus empowered His apostles (His priests) to forgive sins in His name and this tradition continues on today.

Jesus said to St. Faustina, “Tell souls where they are to look for solace; that is in the Tribunal of Mercy (the Sacrament of Reconciliation). There the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated. To avail oneself of this miracle, it is not necessary to go on a great pilgrimage or to carry out some external ceremony; it suffices to come with faith to the feet of My representative and to reveal to him one’s misery, and the miracle of Divine Mercy will be fully demonstrated. Were a soul like a decaying corpse so that from a human standpoint, there would be no hope of restoration and everything would be already be lost, it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full.” (Diary of St. Faustina 1448)

We need to remember that it is Jesus that is waiting for us in this Sacrament. In this Sacrament we receive forgiveness from Our Lord. Jesus said, “When you approach the confessional, know this, that I myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I Myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of Mercy.” (Diary of St. Faustina 1602)

Let us receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for it is the will of God that we do so. Remember “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

The Peace of the Lord be with you today and always!