In the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession), we encounter Jesus Christ, who after rising from the dead breathed the Holy Spirit on his Apostles, the first priests, and gave them the power to forgive sins in his name (Jn 20:23). The Heart of Christ burns with love for us and he wants us to experience his immense and unfathomable mercy by confessing our sins and receiving his forgiveness. This Sacrament gives us the consolation of God's pardon and strenghtens our relationship with Christ and his Church.
Reconciliation, one of the sacraments of healing, is a great gift of love which God has given to his people through His son Jesus Christ. In the celebration of this Sacrament, we are healed in spirit, mind, and body. The Catechism reminds us that “Jesus’ call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, do not aim first at outward works, ‘sackcloth and ashes,’ fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion. Without this, such penances remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures, and works of penance” (1430).
We live out our conversion in our daily lives through acts of kindness and love, concern for the poor, and the desire for justice. Christian conversion calls us to live as Christ at all times, in the home and in the workplace as well as when we attend Mass. When we sin, we are separated from God and from our community. The sacrament of Reconciliation allows us to become whole again in the Body of Christ.
If you desire spiritual direction please contact one of our priests at 388-2995.