As a child, I was absolutely terrified of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Some of my earliest memories of the sacrament are filled with fear and anxiety. I viewed the priest as old and scary, waiting to tell me that I was bad and going to hell. I also never really witnessed my parents or siblings frequent the confessional. So, I thought, why should I? Church attendance and the sacraments became secondary to living the life I desired and, during my teens, I fell away from the Church completely.
Many years and many sins later, while going through the RCIA process as my husband’s sponsor, I finally shared my deepest darkest secrets of having two abortions in the confessional. The priest’s response was caring and compassionate, and years of guilt and pain were washed away by Jesus’ merciful touch. This powerful encounter marked the beginning of hope and healing in my life from the God who saves and sets captives free.
Similar to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, when we work Step Five in recovery—“Admitted to God, to Myself and to, Another Human Being the Exact Nature of My Wrongs”—we begin to have a spiritual awakening and become a “new creation” in Christ. As Catholics in recovery, we are called to strive to grow closer to God and others every day. And when we stumble, we can run to His throne of mercy in the confessional where we’re forgiven and filled yet again with His unending peace and joy!
Reflection Questions
- Share with someone close to you a time when you experienced the merciful love of God. How did this turn you into a “new creation”?
- Are you holding onto secrets from your past that are blocking you from living freely in the present? If so, might you take them to the Sacrament of Reconciliation to experience God’s compassionate mercy and healing?
Daily Mass Readings
First Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
Gospel: Luke 2:41-51
Reflection by Kathy B.