Homily for Friday After Ash Wednesday

So often, when speaking to children and even adults about the Sacrament of Reconciliation, I hear people speak of fear. I’m not always what people are afraid of; perhaps it’s different for each person.

I think, though, for most, the fear is fear of rejection or harsh judgment. Maybe they think the priest will think less of them or that God is angry with them; perhaps they are afraid of their own judgment of themselves. But the Sacrament of Reconciliation is about mercy, not anger. Specifically, it’s about God’s mercy, not God’s anger. God wants us to be close to Him and, when we pull ourselves away through sin, we simply need to turn to God with sincere remorse, and God will always be there to bring us close to Him once again.

May this Lent be a time when we truly become humble of heart and open ourselves to the ever-present mercy of God.+