The Importance of Repentance
December 8, 2024
Jesus Christ: Yesterday, Today, and Forever ~
As you know, Advent is a short season in which we prepare to meet the Lord at His birth at Christmas. The Gospel reading (good news) this Sunday calls us to repentance. Repentance, because we are all sinners in need of God’s mercy, lest we meet Him one day to discover His justice. We hear that theme throughout the year because it is so important for our salvation. We also hear that theme over and over again because we don’t respond.
Years ago, I asked 2nd graders to forgive me for something I said to their class at school. A little girl thanked me for asking for forgiveness, and that stung. I don’t remember what the thing was I was asking forgiveness for, but it was over the kids’ head. I was asking for the kids’ forgiveness to keep the peace with their parents. So, when a little girl thanked me for saying “I’m sorry, please forgive me” why did it sting? As far as that little girl was concerned, I might as well have said “I don’t fly, I’m sorry, please forgive me.” Why is acknowledging our faults and asking forgiveness so hard to do? Why does it sting to have someone thank us for doing so?
I’m not dishing on anyone here, just making a point. A couple of Saturdays ago, I was in the confessional at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish for 45 minutes to hear Confessions. One person came. This from a parish whose average weekend Mass count in October was 500. Only 1 in 500 needed to go to Confession that day? No, lots of people had a need for Confession that day. Only one person had the faith to understand the importance, as well as the humility, honesty and courage to make the time to go to Confession. This gets back to my question: why is it so hard to repent of our sins?
I do not know of a pat theological answer to that question. I do know that Adam and Eve hid from God after they sinned. After all, God told them that they would die if they touched the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They didn’t run to God for forgiveness after they ate that fruit; they hid from Him fearing death. That tells me there is something in our fallen natures that fears being destroyed if our sins are found out. We instinctively feel doomed if we acknowledge our sins. Ask any two-year-old. When it comes to God, and most other people, it is just the opposite. Acknowledging our sins and faults usually helps us in our relationships with others, and always helps us in our relationship with God. In fact, it is the only way to God. We must grow in this.
As many of you heard in my homily this Sunday, we all have a real need to repent of our sins by going to Confession – regularly. “Repent” or its derivative is used in the bible over 120 times; Jesus mentions it more than 20 times, it’s the first thing He says when He begins His public ministry (Mt 4:17 & Mk 1:15) – it’s a big deal.
Jesus took on flesh, suffered, and died for us so that we might be redeemed from our sins. Without his ultimate sacrifice, we’d all be damned by our sins. Yet redemption is not the same as saved. Jesus’ Paschal mystery (passion, death, and resurrection) made salvation possible, not guaranteed; and that’s the difference between redemption and salvation. It is inaccurate to say that someone has “been saved” unless they are already in Purgatory or Heaven. Because of free will and its consequences, it is possible to go to hell for our sins even after baptism, even after declaring “Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior” (which has no reference in the Bible). We have to work with God’s great mercy to receive mercy’s fruit.
Knowing that our nature is fallen, even after baptism, Christ instituted the Sacrament of Confession for the remission of sins (Jn 20:22-23), and for 2,000 years his priests have been hearing confessions and absolving sins. While most people struggle to humble themselves to do it, like all the sacraments, it is extremely efficacious. So much so that nearly all the saints went to Confession monthly or even weekly. Not because they were great sinners but because the Sacrament helped them to become great saints. Both Pope St. John Paul II and St. Teresa of Calcutta went weekly, Pope Francis goes every other week, I try to go every week. I’ve come to realize that practically speaking, one doesn’t become a saint without frequent recourse to the sacrament; indeed, growth in the spiritual life has a direct correlation to the use of the Sacrament of Confession over a long period of time. So, while the Church teaches us to go at least once a year (more on that in a moment) she recommends that we go monthly for our sanctification. Perhaps you can get out your calendar and circle a day of the month, and on that day every month, resolve to go to Confession. If you do so, I promise you’ll make great spiritual progress within one year let alone your lifetime.
Two of the Precepts of the Catholic Church are as follows:
1) Go to Confession at least once a year if aware of mortal sin
2) Receive the Holy Eucharist in a state of grace (free of mortal sin) at least once a year
While we have to attend Mass throughout the year on Holy Days of Obligation (Sundays are always Holy Days of Obligation), we don’t have to receive Holy Communion when we attend Mass but for once a year. If one is in a state of grace, no known mortal sins, then they should receive Holy Communion. If one is in a state of mortal sin, then it would be a mortal sin to receive Holy Communion. How do we get into, or are restored to a state of grace? Confessing our mortal sins. There is no other way after Baptism.
These two precepts are known as our “Easter obligations” because they traditionally have to be performed during Lent in anticipation of Easter, or during the season of Easter that follows Lent (seven weeks long). Failure to do these two things at least once a year if aware of mortal sin, constitutes a mortal sin in itself.
In light of what I have said, please take advantage of our generous Confession schedule. Here it is.
· Holy Redeemer – Fridays from 3:30-4:30, Saturdays from 2:30-4:15pm, and Sundays before the Masses from 7:45-8:15am, and from 10:00-10:45am.
· St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesdays 5:00-5:45pm Saturdays from 9:15-10:30am, and from 4:00-4:45pm.
· Our Lady Star of the Sea – Sunday before Mass if Father arrives in time, and if not, then after Mass.
· Holy Redeemer will host a penance service on Thursday, December 19 at 6pm with eight priests hearing confessions. If you haven’t gone to Confession by then, then please take advantage of it and resolve to make the Sacrament of Confession a regular part of your life.
Finally this. Stop being afraid of Confession. If you say you are not afraid of Confession but that you don’t need it, think again. Remember, the New Testament mentions repentance 120 times and implies the need for it everywhere. The saints went to Confession at least monthly if not weekly. The ones on earth now still do.
In Our Merciful Lord,
Fr. Thomas Nathe
