"When God saw by their
actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he
had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.” Jon. 3:10
The act of reconciliation is one
sacrament that continues to fascinate me. Growing up in a household of strict
rules, the idea of confessing your sin and to be forgiven was unheard of in my
family. It seemed too good to be true. How could God be that understanding?
I was always afraid of confession as
a child. The church where I grew up hosted a burning of the sins once a year
during the Lenten season and I made sure to attend annually. During this
particular mass, all were given an index card and pencil to write
down their faults. After the homily, we lined up by the altar to lay
down our confessions into the fire and were all forgiven.
As years passed, I thought
reconciliation would be easier. However, I was mistaken. The years did not help
my fear of confessing my flaws and shortcomings. In fact, I became more
shameful of my actions. The spiritual examination prior to confession made
me question why I would do the things I did. What was I thinking? If I
cannot forgive myself, how can I ask God to forgive me? Do I deserve to be
forgiven?
Today’s reading reminds me of God’s
great love and forgiveness. It echoes Pope Francis’ message and encouragement
of making room in our hearts for those who have sinned, made mistakes, and are
in jail.
Lord, help me learn how to forgive
and open my heart to the forgiveness of others.
Katherine Tran
No comments:
Post a Comment