What is keeping you from approaching God in the confessional box? - Daily Reflections March 1,2016

GOD IS BIGGER THAN OUR SINS

 

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant hits most of us close to home. Forgiveness is a struggle even for the most enlightened among us. Either

we find it difficult to forgive or we grapple even with just the thought of asking someone for forgiveness.

       So how should we bring ourselves to forgiving those who have offended us? If we are to draw our response from the parable, then what should motivate us is the fact that we are mere beneficiaries of God’s forgiveness. We cannot deny it to anyone because God did not deny us His forgiveness. “You should have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you” (Matthew 18:33). We look at ourselves and see our faults and how God has forgiven us. Then we turn to our brothers and show the same compassion and love that we have received from Him.

       “I forgave you the whole amount you owed me, just because you asked me to” (Matthew 18:32). “You asked me to” — could this be where we are being remiss, too? Forgiveness is readily available, but we refuse to ask God to grant it to us. Perhaps we see our sins as too grave to even consider asking pardon for them? Or we are afraid to approach the Lord and seek His forgiveness? Sometimes we see the gravity of our sins and think of ourselves as “beyond repair.” So we just remain in our sorry state and deny ourselves of something that God can easily give us.

       Appearing to His disciples after the resurrection, Jesus said, “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (John 20:23). Jesus has entrusted an office for us to approach as we seek God’s forgiveness. Do not see the immensity of your sins as a hindrance to approaching it. Look at how great our God is and never doubt that His greatness is bigger than any sin you may have committed. Trust that He’ll readily forgive you. Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: What is keeping you from approaching God in the confessional box?

 

Dearest Father, You know our weakness. Thank You for giving us the sacrament of reconciliation through which we can go back to You every time we have sinned. Amen.