St. Boniface - Bulletin, current week

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

We have thus reflected on the reality that justice may only be attained through love. We next reflected on how, in order to know our first love, Al-mighty God, we must hear His Word which is revealed to us through the holy scriptures. Now, in this third week of Lent, we recognize that we are convicted by His Word. In hearing His Word pro-claimed we see how far short we have fallen in loving Him well and also our neighbor. Thus, we come to the recognition that we require forgiveness and reconciliation with both God and neighbor so that the love which leads to justice may have an unencumbered path.

Forgiveness and reconciliation. Viewed from the front end of that forgiveness and reconciliation that we seek it is a most daunting thing. But I am certain that this apparent mountain is not so large. The mountain that seems to need climbing in order to find that forgiveness and reconciliation we seek is nothing made by God or a necessary part of the sacrament. It is, rather, our fear and our pride.

Fear and pride. It is unfortunate that when God offers to us his forgiveness, which brings reconciliation, we don’t see a loving Father. We sometimes see a stern or angry judge. Other times we see an unloving being who is only content with keeping us under His thumb or jerking us around.

Just as difficult is the situation in which we just

can’t bring ourselves to admit that what we did was that bad. We talk ourselves into believing that we are “just being human”. We tell ourselves all kinds of false platitudes, anything to relieve ourselves of having to climb that mountain. Except that the mountain is of our own making! The moment we recognize our guilt and our Father’s love that seeming insurmountable mountain vanishes in an instant.

The Sacrament of Confession is God’s great, wonderful, loving gift to us. He wants us to be as free to love Him as He is in loving us. In this sacrament we receive the Father’s forgiveness. Amazingly enough, all we have to do is admit our sinfulness, that is – how we missed the mark, and ask for His forgiveness. And in return, He gathers us into His loving arms and not only forgives us, but welcomes us into the fullness of His love – reconciliation!

Is there a price to pay for our sins? Yes, there is. But the greatest part of that price has already been paid by Christ, God Himself. What love is that? I would hope that would be proof enough not only of God’s love and forgiveness, but of His great desire to have us as members of His eternal family.

Of course, there is much more to it than what I’ve just discussed. Our attraction to sinfulness (concupiscence), in all its twists and turns, is more complicated than this small space allows. But what is most important is our Father’s desire that we turn to Him and know love. Let us not disappoint Him, or – in the end, ourselves.

Pray Well! Fr. Klos

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