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September 25, 2022Dear Parishioners,
Someone asked me the other day about Confession. The question was: I pray privately and ask forgiveness for my actions and thoughts and I am genuinely sincere. Is that not enough? The people who ask this question very often don’t come at it from a theological point of view. They are not questioning the efficacy of the sacraments or God’s mercy, rather they ask it looking for an excuse or a rationalization. They do not want to put in the work of confession. They want cheap grace. They want the feeling of forgiveness, rather than the real thing.
Fortunately, the person understands one essential step in order for sins to be forgiven: the realization that we sin. Yet, that first essential step does not mean that God will forgive us (even if we tell him our sins). Before the coming of Christ, people told God their sins all the time, and yet they were not forgiven. When we sin we break the unity between us and God. Something needs to occur in order to restore that unity. What is it, and can we do it?
The Jews offered sacrifice. This involved going to Jerusalem and offering up a turtle dove, a lamb, an ox or another animal depending on the sin in order to make recompense. Unfortunately, the sacrifice of animals did not restore the unity and forgive sins. The Jews had one thing correct: the concept of sacrifice to make up for sin. Yet, animal sacrifices do not have the power to restore the link between God and man; how could they? Something else would be needed. Behold, God sends his Son to enact a new and everlasting covenant. He is the Lamb of God who sacrifices his life for the salvation of souls and the forgiveness of sins.
How do individuals in the present tap into that awesome event? Jesus passes the power to forgive sins to his apostles, bishops and priests through history: “whose sins you forgive are forgiven.” So, when a person goes to the confessional he or she participates in the sacrifice which has the power to forgive sins. We never say, “I don’t need to be baptized, I simply need to pray to God and he makes me his son or daughter.” Likewise, telling your sins to God is not enough. Thanks be to God that He has given us the Sacrament of Confession for the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism.
Finally, just a reminder to mark your calendars for the events of our parish patroness. In just a few weeks we celebrate our parish feast weekend for St. Therese (October 1-2). This year we will hold a special parish mission to honor our patroness. Fr. Michael Rubeling from the Archdiocese of Baltimore will come and preach all the weekend Masses. On Monday and Tuesday October 3rd and 4th he will offer Eucharistic Adoration reflections on a particular part of St. Teresa’s life. Also, immediately following the 10:30am Mass that Sunday, October 2nd we will have a Eucharistic Procession through the streets of our neighborhood.
God bless,
Fr. Barrow
