PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins MARK 1:2-5
INTRODUCTION
As we prepare our homes for Christmas guests, decorations, clean carpets etc, what about our Spiritual House? What do we do with the messiness that resides there…anger, resentments, grudges, and habits of sin that stain our souls, cloud our wills, and obstruct God’s intervention.
Let’s not stand in God’s way. Let’s make more room for Jesus this Advent season, brighten up His dwelling place within us, with sanctifying grace. What is the best Spiritual House cleaning tool for this? The Sacrament of Reconciliation!
The evening of His Resurrection, Jesus appeared to his Apostles, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” JOHN 20:21-23
WHOSE SINS YOU FORGIVE
ARE FORGIVEN THEM
We need to be reconciled both to God and our neighbor. It doesn’t matter to the priest how long ago your last confession was. You can’t shock the priest either. The priest has heard it all. Conversion can take place at any time until death but why wait!
Remember the priest, when hearing your confession, is in persona Christi (person of Christ). It is Christ you are confessing your sins. And we know how merciful God is from the many stories from Scripture…the Prodigal Son…The woman at the well…the woman caught in adultery…. And the Good Thief…. This day you will be with me in Paradise
CONFESSING OUR SINS TO A PRIEST
When the priest receives the penitent, he is fulfilling the ministry of the Good Shepherd who seek the lost sheep and the Good Samaritan who binds up the wounds. The priest is the sign and instrument of God’s mercy. Why confess to a priest? Because that is the way Jesus intended with his Apostles and their successors.
God’s salvific ministry carried out in His Son Jesus Christ wanted to show and perpetrate His loving mercy and reconciliation throughout time through the Apostles and their successors
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed James 5:16
One who avails themselves of the Sacrament of Reconciliation are told by the Priest/Christ in the words of absolution their sins are forgiven. They receive the comfort, the assurance, and thus feel through their senses the mercy of God.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR CONFESSION?
We should begin with prayer, placing ourselves in the presence of God, our loving Father. We should review our lives (Examination of Conscience) since our last confession, our thoughts, words and actions that have broken our relationship with God and our neighbor.
A BRIEF EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
Do I attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation?
Do I take God’s name lightly or in anger or in blasphemy?
Do I use profanity especially around my children?
Do I honor and respect my parents?
Have I injured anyone physically or materially?
Have I ever had an abortion or encouraged one
Am I envious, hot-tempered, or prejudiced?
Do I entertain thoughts of revenge, hold grudges?
Lack of patience road rage?
In my marital relationships do I respect my spouse by faithfulness in words and actions?
Do I provide good example to my children in regards virtue of chastity?
Do I watch pornography?
Do I gossip about the faults of others?
Do I forgive others?
Do I judge others?
Am I honest and fair with everyone?
Do I tell lies? Steal property or reputations?
Do I care for and give to the poor and needy?
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CONFESSIONAL
The Priest receives the penitent with a greeting, a sign of the cross and invitation to trust in God’s mercy.
Confession of sins Through the admission of our sins, we look squarely at our relationship with God and our neighbor and open ourselves to be reconciled with God and full communion with His Mystical Body, The Church.
Our act of contrition expresses our sorrow for offending God and our detestation of sin. Our words of contrition express an inward condition to love God and avoid sin in the future.
SAMPLE ACT OF CONTRITION
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven, and the pains of Hell; but most of all because I love Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen
Prayer of absolution The words of absolution by the priest, “I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit” and the reply by the penitent, “Amen” The priest may conclude with this prayer, “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good” The penitent’s response is, “For His mercy endures forever.
JESUS SEEKS US OUT;
WON’T YOU LET HIM IN!
…When you give Me your sins, you give Me the joy of being your Savior. There is nothing I cannot forgive and heal…Come to Me with your misery and your sins, with your troubles and needs, and with all your longing to be loved. I stand at the door of your heart and knock… I am seeking you every moment of the day…. I THIRST FOR YOU…”
MOTHER TERESE OF CALCUTTA
REFLECTION ON JESUS’ DESIRE TO FORGIVE US
