Reconciliation

The Lord Jesus Christ, physician of our souls and bodies, who forgave the sins of the paralytic and restored him to bodily health, has willed that his Church continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his work of healing and salvation, even among her own members. This is the purpose of the two sacraments of healing: the sacrament of Penance and the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1421 (cf. Mark 2:1-12)

(Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash)

Sin, in today’s world, seems to many to be outdated – surely we do our best, and accept our failures?

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is vastly more than the confession of sins: when so many around us are seeking excuses for what they do, this sacrament calls us to take responsibility and to recognise the harm we have done, both to ourselves and to others, and even our world.

When we take responsibility, we can learn and change and grow: what we do wrong does not have to be a stumbling block; it can be a turning point.

The grace of this sacrament washes away our guilt and strengthens us to step forward.

The following books may be of interest if you would like to learn more:

- The Return of the Prodigal Son, by Henri Nouwen, Darton, Longman & Todd, 1994
- The Light is On for You: The Life-changing Power of Confession, by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Word Among Us Press, 2014
- Lord, Have Mercy: The Healing Power of Confession, by Scott Hahn, Darton, Longman & Todd, 2003

The Liturgy Office of England and Wales has produced a resource for those who would like to reflect more deeply on reconciliation in the life of the Church.

Thinking about Reconciliation