Search
-
March 20, 2022
More guilt? Less guilt? Whose guilt?
Throughout human history many cultures believed that “the guilt of our fathers (and mothers, to be in tune with today’s culture) rested on and in the lives of their children. In the ancient Hebrew culture, like others, if a child was born with a condition or handicapped (other need) then it was because their parents or forbearers were the cause of the condition. Thus, “Sin” passed from generation-to-generation. Our Christian faith does not accept that, but while we understand “original sin” we also know that our loving God does not punish us for the individual sins of others.
Rather, God loves us so much that He desires only to forgive our individual sins and to welcome us always and in every way back to Him. The Gospel of John says it clearly: “This is the Will of the One who sent me, says the Lord, that I shall not lose any of what He gave me but that I shall raise it on the Last Day.” (John 6:39)
So with this Christian understanding in mind, let us take this Sunday’s readings and use them to focus our attention and our spiritual lives on the true and fullest meaning of Lent: Forgiveness of our sins.
The season of Lent is a great time to renew our own commitment to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. To speak to Christ in the Sacrament, to be healed, forgiven and made clean—to be refreshed with His grace and favor and to return home to Him in and through His Church.
The Sacraments were instituted by Christ, not a committee of bishops, and then He gave them to His Church so that they would be safeguarded and held for us, to be used again and again for our salvation. Let us come home to Christ, be cleansed and forgiven, healed and renewed...another reason to take on something this
Lent rather than give up...
Reconciliation is offered every Monday evening from 6-7 p.m., the whole year
long and normally on Saturdays from 4-4:30 p.m. before the Vigil Mass, or by
appointment.
Hear you there, I hope?
