Your Sins ARE forgiven
by Fr. Colin Rothery
Confession
When Christ founded His Holy Church, He made available the Sacred Sacraments and the divine power of the Holy Spirit to humanity. The Sacrament of Confession gives sinners the opportunity to receive God's forgiveness through the priests of His Church.
Jesus gave us this gift at Pentecost when He told His Apostles, “'Receive the Holy Spirit. Those whose sins you forgive are forgiven”. He didn’t say they MIGHT be forgiven. He said your sins ARE forgiven.
Tired of Confessing?
Pope Francis began his encyclical, “The Joy of the Gospel”, by inviting everyone to come to Jesus with complete trust in His Mercy. He wrote, “God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy.” Indeed, God's mercy is inexhaustible for those who turn to Him. Confession is the place where that mercy is most powerfully received and experienced.
The Feast of Divine Mercy
Every year, the Feast of Divine Mercy offers a unique opportunity to avail of Christ's saving love in the Sacrament of Mercy. Through His teachings, recorded by St. Faustina, our Saviour wished to remind people that, even when we have committed the gravest and most evil sins, no-one should despair or doubt God's willingness to forgive sinners.
As Catholics, we must realise that the healing power of His Passion is beyond our understanding and the treasury of the Father's compassion not limited by human sin.
Catholics enjoy the greatest privilege of being able to experience in Confession the full power of God to transform darkness into light. A sincere confession and the absolution which follows is one of the supreme joys of being a believer and follower of Christ. No longer do we doubt His words, "Your sins are forgiven". We don't hope the Lord has washed away our sins: we know it, deep inside.
The Joy and Responsibilities of the Priest
Being able to facilitate the meeting of the believer with the Lord in Confession is one of the great joys of being an ordained priest but also one of its gravest responsibilities. The Feast of Divine Mercy brings a special opportunity to avail of the Lord's promises to St. Faustina. Around the world, many make their confession that day. Pope Francis's enthusiastic promotion of a return to the sacrament has no doubt helped many make that difficult first step into the Confession box, perhaps after many years.
Not Easy to Confess
Let's be honest, it is never easy to confess our sins. We are still far from having the humility that Christ has, so we find it difficult to bare our soul to another human and unmask our darkest moments. But there lies the heart of confession. We are not just baring our soul's secrets to a human being. It is Christ Himself, human and divine, working through his Church, who really hears our confessions. He listens through the weak humanity of the ordained priest 'In Persona Christi’ (in the person of Christ).
Priests are all ordained by bishops, whose link to Christ is ensured by the unbroken laying on of hands that stretches back to the Apostles. That's why the words He spoke to the twelve after the Resurrection are spoken to today's bishops, and the priests of the Catholic Church: 'Receive the Holy Spirit. Those whose sins you forgive are forgiven.' 'Whoever listens to you, listens to me.'
Beyond Redemption
So many people’s interior lives are destroyed by the fear that God won’t forgive them or that they are beyond redemption. They lose hope that there is any possibility of returning to God’s grace. Even worse, they think the sad or upsetting events that happen during life are God’s punishment for their sins.
Always Mercy and Always Love, Acceptance and Healing
God would be a fool if He really expected people to be perfect all the time. Even the saints sinned. But there is a natural progress from sinner to saint. It is a difficult journey for all Christians. The devil provides many distractions along the way and as Jesus said, it is a narrow road.
You will fall countless times along the way, but you must keep getting up and keep moving on. But you will not go too far if you doubt God’s mercy. So if you have been doubting God’s Mercy or haven’t gone to confession in a while, maybe this weekend, go to Confession and receive His mercy and healing and continue on your journey.