I was blessed in my life in not being fearful of the sacrament of penance. Even as a child, when the confessionals were dark, I was not fearful. Yes, I was nervous at times, anxious, but not fearful of what was going to happen. I knew it was the way to receive God's forgiveness for my sins. Some people complain that the Catholic Church has placed a barrier in the spiritual lives of people by requiring that they confess sins to a priest, a fellow human being, rather than confess directly to God. But really, Jesus gave to the Church the gift of giving forgiveness in order to make it easier for us. The lack of human contact, the isolation from others that many people feel, is not part of the sacrament of penance. In confession, we receive the human assurance of a divine gift. God forgives us. And another human person, a priest, speaks to us with his human voice about the Word of mercy that comes from God. May we use this sacrament frequently, with confidence in the mercy and love of Christ.
(Msgr. Vaccari)
Jesus Confers on His Disciples the Power to Forgive Sins
The image that comes to me over and over again is that we the faithful are like sheep without the shepherd and that instead of the shepherd looking for the lost sheep, the sheep are looking for their lost shepherds. Our hearts are hurting, our spirits are drooping, our souls are waning and we so need the grace that comes from the Sacrament that only a shepherd can give.
I pray in this Easter Station that we the laity will look for and invite our shepherds to come back to the sacrament of reconciliation, come back and share the great gift to forgive sins that Jesus conferred upon them the first Easter season. May they take every opportunity to cure the spiritual anemia that so many of us experience. We beg their help not only to avoid sin, but grow in love for Christ our Savior and develop great virtue in our daily lives.
Dear Divine Shepherd, call your disciple shepherds back to their flocks again. We need them and we promise to reverence them and make use of the great sacrament of reconciliation again, and again and again! Amen.
(Teresa Monaghen)
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