From the time of our fathers even to this day
great has been our guilt,
and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered up,
we and our kings and our priests,
to the will of the kings of foreign lands,
to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to disgrace,
as is the case today.
"And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the LORD, our God,
Practicing Catholics who get it enjoy the Sacrament of Penance as an easy way to come to terms with our sinfulness. It might seem too easy to some -- perhaps imprudently dangerous -- but the constant testimony of the Bible gives us little room to boast of our virtue. "We have sinned! We and our ancestors have sinned." So long as we're daily asking God to "forgive us our sins,,,," and admitting, "O my God I am heartily sorry for having sinned against you..." we can approach both our duties and our leisure with some assurance. God gets it too.
It's when we try to find the long route around that briar patch of confession, that we knock ourselves out trying to prove we are good and just people. If we could only do that we'd have no need for God's mercy.
But the Sacrament is challenging for more reasons than that. We so often have no particular sins to confess, other than the usual irritability that rises from our weariness at trying to prove we're everything God, our families, our churches, and our neighbors expect and need us to be. We're failing to save ourselves, and we're sure there's something wrong with that.
I mean, look at how many people are completely successful, prosperous, secure, and happy! If they're managing it, why can't I? I've just got to try harder.
The Bible repeatedly tells us that we cannot save ourselves. When we're ready to admit that we just can't do it anymore, and never could, the Word of God starts to creep into our hearts.
We learn a sense of humor about our failings, shortcomings, blind spots, and sins. We start enjoying the people around us, knowing full well that they see what we cannot see and love us anyway. And then we see past their shortcomings and care about them too! We can admire them and thank God for they are vessels of clay and filled with grace.
Life with the sacrament of penance is so much easier. As the Lord said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.