THE POWER TO LOOSE SINS
I
do not have a lot of time to argue with people who take specific
Scripture passages literally and ignore many others, especially those
that support our many Catholic practices. They love to preach against
these practices, like the sacrament of reconciliation. Today’s Gospel
does not allow too many logical interpretations other than the one the
Catholic Church gives it — that the power of priests and bishops to
forgive sins has been given by God.
The reality is that, without institutionalizing the gifts of the
Spirit, there is no way to retain order in the life of the Church. The
Montanist heresy demonstrated this when it rejected the authority of
the bishops and allowed everyone to live “as the Spirit led them.” This
does not work, as sin leads people astray. Rules are needed in order to
keep the peace and make organized communities a reality. Chaos is the
inevitable result if there is no real authority structure. That is
precisely the witness of the Protestant and born again churches that
simply split and make a new church when they disagree strongly enough
over a
point of doctrine or practice.
The description in today’s Gospel allows for an ordered process of
reconciliation within the Church and the lives of its people. Yes, we
can ask God’s forgiveness directly and I am sure He will forgive us. But
what about the damage we have done to the Church and other peoples’
lives by sinning? The sacrament, as celebrated in the Catholic Church,
allows for the human dimension of forgiveness to be ministered, and the
priest to stand in for both God and the Church to administer it. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
REFLECTION
QUESTION: Whenever you go to confession, do you realize that it is
Jesus, wrapped in the person of the priest, who listens to you and
absolves you of your sins?
Jesus,
I pray for priest confessors. Help them to be attentive in the
sacrament so that the advice they give will help us grow in our
experience of Your mercy, love and forgiveness.
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