Sunday March 18, 2007

Fourth Sunday of Lent

March 18, 2007



“While he (the Prodigal Son) was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.”

Luke 15:20
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“Have I done anything to hurt you?” “I am sorry.” “Please forgive me.” How regularly do we employ these or similar types of sentences of communication? How common is it to seek reconciliation with God and each other within all the words we say each and every day? We know we can say a lot of words in one day alone but how many of those words are actively seeking to repair relationships that have, for one reason or another, gone south.



Recently a man asked me why so few people go to confession any more. Is it because we are flawless and sinless? I think we all know the answer to that question. Maybe we do not treat sin as a big deal. Sin separates us from each other and the ability to enjoying a loving relationship with God and each other. And it is this loving relationship with God and each other that is the deepest desire of any human heart. Since sin destroys what each of us wants most, it is a big deal that we must deal with. It is the biggest deal if we want to know and live the deepest desire of our hearts.



How can we move from sin being no big deal in our lives to being the biggest deal we need to deal with? Remember, it is the biggest deal in the sense that it is the obstacle to what we want most- loving relationship. Overall, of course, the biggest deal is to live in right and holy relationships with God and others. So, how do we get there? We need to get rid of our own sin. If you want to know your sin and it’s destroying effects, pray diligently to God each day to reveal to you such. Make going to confession a monthly habit. Get a good examination of conscience from someone, examine yourself and confess your sins. Employ words of reconciliation regularly in your day-to-day communication: “Have I done anything to hurt you?” “I am sorry.” “Please forgive me.” Again, the purpose of detecting your sin is to rid yourself of it by confessing it and moving to the most loving relationships possible.



What is on the other side of confessing your sin? With God, as we know, there is no risk. He always forgives! You can count on it. With another human being, well, that can be a different story. Maybe there will be forgiveness and maybe there will not. But, that does not stop us from our duty to ask each other for forgiveness when we know we have sinned against someone. If they forgive, praise God for all the mercy that will flow. If they do not forgive, know and be at peace that you have done your best in reaching out to “right” the relationship and you cannot make the other person forgive. That is their choice to withhold mercy but you must stand with a clear conscience because you have done what you could do to seek reconciliation.



I love the quote, “Christians, inform your face.” In other words, we have been forgiven by Jesus on the cross for all our sins but we often walk around planet earth moping. We have salvation and eternal life and if we know that in our heart it should show in our beaming smiles and bright eyes. Why are so many Christians sad and frowning so much? I think it is because we do not know how big and wonderful and life-giving and joy-producing forgiveness is! What if we made how we sin against each other and God a big deal? What if we confessed and forgave and let the infinite font of God’s mercy flow in our lives? I think a lot more Christians would be informing their faces and all the world about the JOY of our salvation.



Live the confronted life!

+Fr. John