Additionally, we have many opportunities throughout the week to receive this Sacrament in the normal parish calendar, so please familiarize yourself with these times, and don’t feel like confession has to be an “event” that only happens once or twice a year; let this sacrament be a normal part of life. God sent His Son into the world to reconcile us to Himself, and the Sacrament of Penance is a most powerful means of receiving this reconciliation, which we need as we seek healing from our sins and progress along the path to sainthood. Sin wounds and ruptures our relationship with God and His people, the Church, and the Sacrament of Penance restores that relationship back to good health.
I know a lot of us are uncomfortable with the Sacrament or maybe think it’s unnecessary, or perhaps some of us even think– sadly – that it’s simply nonsense. Accepting this Sacrament takes humility to admit I need to have my sins forgiven, and the faith to believe that Christ does just that in this Sacrament, which He entrusted to the Church for the purpose of reconciling me to God every time I go astray. It’s also important to remember that one of the Five Precepts of the Church is that Catholics “shall confess [their] sins at least once a year” (CCC 2042). It is understood that this requirement applies to grave sins, though regular confession even of venial sin is a source of strength against falling into grave sin and making progress in holiness. As a little background, “the precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to – and nourished by – the liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor (CCC 2041). This precept is in place to ensure that Catholics are rightly disposed to receive the Eucharist, which they are obliged to receive at least once a year during the Easter season (the 3rd Precept), though more frequent reception is always encouraged! This indicates to us that in order to receive the Eucharist in a manner that is not sacrilegious and therefore not gravely sinful, Catholics must be in the state of grace, meaning they are not conscious of having committed grave (mortal) sin since their last confession. If they are conscious of such sin, they should receive reconciliation as soon as possible, in order to truly express communion with Christ, which is sacramentally accomplished in the Holy Eucharist only if we are in the state of grace. The Eucharist is food for the soul, but if the soul is dead in sin (which is what happens when we fall into mortal sin), no amount of food can bring it back to life. It needs restored to life through an emergency operation before it can take and eat again. This restoration to the life of grace happens exclusively in the Sacrament of Confession for those who are already baptized.
I am putting things in clear terms for you, not because I want to make you “feel bad”, but because I want you to be free. It is for the reasons above that Fr. Jacquemin and I offer so many opportunities to receive reconciliation, but unless each of us knows how much we need this sacrament and then receive it, we will never receive the freedom from our sins that this sacrament offers. If you are resistant to receiving this sacrament, ask yourself: why don’t I want to go to confession? Am I scared? Don’t be, Jesus loves you and wants to forgive you through His priest. Has it been too long? The priest will help you. Am I too proud? Then be humble, because God “casts down the mighty from their thrones,” bur He also “exalts the lowly” (Luke 1:52). Is there a sin in my life that I am not ready to surrender? Surrender it, and experience what it truly means to be free with the freedom of the sons and daughters of God. The more often we open the wounds of our souls – the wounds of our sins – to the healing balm of God’s mercy in this Sacrament, the stronger we become, and the closer to Christ we are drawn. And it is this healing, strength, and closeness that will eventually lead us all to a place of wholeness and holiness, which is the only true and lasting happiness. May God bless you in the week ahead and may Mother Mary lead you more deeply into the Sacred and Merciful Heart of Jesus. I remain,
Affectionately yours in Christ,
Fr. Hess
