Reconciliation: Confessing God's
Goodness Does the Catholic Church believe that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is absolutely necessary for salvation? No, it does not. Does the Catholic Church believe that this Sacrament is necessary for forgiveness of all our venial sins? No, it does not. Does the Catholic Church strongly encourage frequent participation in this Sacrament? Yes, it most certainly does, because like all the Sacraments, it opens up our hearts to receiving God’s infinite grace. Christian life is constantly changing. It is a journey and a process, which requires constant conversion. The Sacrament of Reconciliation demands that we take responsibility for our lives. The focus is on responsibility, not on obligation. Penance is a social responsibility that reminds us of our great need to love God and our neighbors. The Sacrament demands that we examine our conscience and reflect upon our lives. It has been said that an unreflected life is not worth living. We all need to reflect upon our lives so we can recognize our sinfulness and our great need for God’s goodness and God’s grace. Reconciliation is more about confessing our need for God’s goodness and grace than it is about simply confessing our sins. Sins are obstacles to our Christian journey. They can put us in a rut or even bury us. Reconciliation is key to the life of the Church, because it helps us get moving again - it helps us resume our pilgrimage. There will be many opportunities to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent. We certainly hope you take advantage of these opportunities to participate in God’s infinite grace, which we all need on our Christian journey. Father Bob Jones
This information has been
reprinted from Holy Cross' Sunday Bulletins |
