“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk?’
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins?”
Jesus said to the one who was paralyzed,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” (Lk 5:23-24)
Forgiveness is an amazing thing.
When we do something wrong, we often wallow in shame, in sorrow, in guilt. We wish that things would have been different. We feel awful about hurting someone we loved. We feel embarrassed that we caved and sinned. We feel a whole array of emotions.
We often long for a do-over.
We wish, we hope, we do everything, many times, except seek reconciliation.
We wallow in our regret rather than say we are sorry.
Perhaps it is because our pride gets in the way and we do not want to have to admit fault.
Perhaps fear gets in the way — fear that the other person will not forgive us.
A lot of reasons keep us from seeking reconciliation.
Yet, it is only in reconciliation with another that we find peace.
It is the same with God.
When we sin, we hurt our relationship with God. Then pride, or fear, or embarrassment get in the way and we do not do the thing we ought: seek forgiveness.
Yet, God is always there, always looking for us, always ready to forgive.
FAITH ACTION: Penance services are coming up in our deanery for the season of Advent. Plan to go to confession and seek reconciliation with God. You might spend some time today making a good examination of conscience so that when your opportunity to go to confession arises, you will be ready to make a worthy confession.