Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent
Showing posts with label confession. Show all posts
Showing posts with label confession. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Tuesday of the
Third Week of Lent
(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)
Protestants often criticize the Catholic practice of
confessing to a priest. They ask, “Why
do you have to tell your sins to a man?
It is God who forgives sins.”
Yes, certainly sins offend God, and He alone can forgive them, but Jesus
has given his apostles authority to carry out this function (Matthew
18:18). There is a further reason. When a Christian sins, she or he does harm to
the Church which is entrusted with the mission of announcing God’s love to the
world. Gossiping, viewing pornography,
or cheating on taxes hinders the deliverance of this message. The readings today present examples of a
sincere confession and what proves to be a faulty one.
The first reading pictures Azariah, one of the three
Jewish youths chosen to serve the king of Persia, expressing contrition for the
sins of his people. As the prophets
tell, God desires such a contrite heart more than sacrifices. The servant in the gospel parable sounds like
he has undergone a change of heart as he pleads with his master for an extension
of his debt, but actually he has not. If
he were sincere, he would show the same understanding to a fellow servant who
is indebted to him.
All Catholics should go to Confession during Lent whether
or not they are in mortal sin. The
Sacrament of Reconciliation humbles us to admit that we make mistakes --
sometimes grave ones -- that divert us from the path of holiness. Also significant, Reconciliation reminds us
that religion is not just a personal affair between God and me but a communal
enterprise in which all of us have a role to carry out.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent
(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)
Protestants often criticize the Catholic practice of confessing to a priest. They ask, “Why do you have to tell your sins to a man? It is God who forgives sins.” Yes, certainly sins offend God, and He alone can forgive them, but Jesus has given his apostles authority to carry out this function (Matthew 18:18). There is a further reason. When a Christian sins, she or he does harm to the Church which is entrusted with the mission of announcing God’s love to the world. Gossiping, viewing pornography, or cheating on taxes hinders the deliverance of this message. The readings today present examples of a sincere confession and what proves to be a faulty one.
The first reading pictures Azariah, one of the three Jewish youths chosen to serve the king of Persia, expressing contrition for the sins of his people. As the prophets tell, God desires such a contrite heart more than sacrifices. The servant in the gospel parable sounds like he has undergone a change of heart as he pleads with his master for an extension of his debt, but actually he has not. If he were sincere, he would show the same understanding to a fellow servant who is indebted to him.
All Catholics should go to Confession during Lent whether or not they are in mortal sin. The Sacrament of Reconciliation humbles us to admit that we make mistakes -- sometimes grave ones -- that divert us from the path of holiness. Also significant, Reconciliation reminds us that religion is not just a personal affair between God and me but a communal enterprise in which all of us have a role to carry out.
(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)
Protestants often criticize the Catholic practice of confessing to a priest. They ask, “Why do you have to tell your sins to a man? It is God who forgives sins.” Yes, certainly sins offend God, and He alone can forgive them, but Jesus has given his apostles authority to carry out this function (Matthew 18:18). There is a further reason. When a Christian sins, she or he does harm to the Church which is entrusted with the mission of announcing God’s love to the world. Gossiping, viewing pornography, or cheating on taxes hinders the deliverance of this message. The readings today present examples of a sincere confession and what proves to be a faulty one.
The first reading pictures Azariah, one of the three Jewish youths chosen to serve the king of Persia, expressing contrition for the sins of his people. As the prophets tell, God desires such a contrite heart more than sacrifices. The servant in the gospel parable sounds like he has undergone a change of heart as he pleads with his master for an extension of his debt, but actually he has not. If he were sincere, he would show the same understanding to a fellow servant who is indebted to him.
All Catholics should go to Confession during Lent whether or not they are in mortal sin. The Sacrament of Reconciliation humbles us to admit that we make mistakes -- sometimes grave ones -- that divert us from the path of holiness. Also significant, Reconciliation reminds us that religion is not just a personal affair between God and me but a communal enterprise in which all of us have a role to carry out.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
(I Kings 21:17-29; Matthew 5:43-48)
“It’s not fair,” we may protest, “King Ahab deserves to be exiled for killing Naboth, not exonerated for robing himself in sackcloth.” God’s mercy always seems to come after and trump His justice. But surely we see things backwards here. God always intends to bring about justice by showing mercy. As long as we show contrition for our sins, God will forgive us. But God’s mercy must not be taken for granted as if we may plot the resumption of a sinful act. Contrition presupposes the will not to sin again.
The child’s dilemma challenges this perspective. A child comes to Confession forever with the same sins – disobeying her parents or fighting with his brother, among other peccadilloes. Are these sins then forgiven? Or, perhaps, they are not sins in the first place? Of course, typically they do not comprise what we know as mortal sins, but nevertheless they should be fairly considered and dutifully given penance. Taken seriously, the girl here will grow in consciousness to realize the benefit of her parents’ judgment and the possibility of following it. Likewise, the boy will become aware of his brother's and, indeed, every human being’s dignity and not abuse it.
(I Kings 21:17-29; Matthew 5:43-48)
“It’s not fair,” we may protest, “King Ahab deserves to be exiled for killing Naboth, not exonerated for robing himself in sackcloth.” God’s mercy always seems to come after and trump His justice. But surely we see things backwards here. God always intends to bring about justice by showing mercy. As long as we show contrition for our sins, God will forgive us. But God’s mercy must not be taken for granted as if we may plot the resumption of a sinful act. Contrition presupposes the will not to sin again.
The child’s dilemma challenges this perspective. A child comes to Confession forever with the same sins – disobeying her parents or fighting with his brother, among other peccadilloes. Are these sins then forgiven? Or, perhaps, they are not sins in the first place? Of course, typically they do not comprise what we know as mortal sins, but nevertheless they should be fairly considered and dutifully given penance. Taken seriously, the girl here will grow in consciousness to realize the benefit of her parents’ judgment and the possibility of following it. Likewise, the boy will become aware of his brother's and, indeed, every human being’s dignity and not abuse it.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
(I John 2:18-21; John 1:1-18)
Some people may find it curious that the Church ends the calendar year with a reading from the beginning of one of the gospels. However, those who remember the so-called Tridentine Mass will recognize the passage as the “Last Gospel.” It is still read at the closing of every mass celebrated according to the Tridentine rubrics.
The passage itself summarizes the story the whole gospel is about to tell. The Word of God, Jesus the Christ, existed before creation began and is the source of all creation. Although he is one with God, he came to live with humans so that we might share in the life of God. But like coyotes returning to their dens at sunrise, humans often reject the light of Christ. To those who brave the shame of having their sins exposed, however, Christ confers the grace of forgiveness.
Today is a choice day for going to confession. We want to end the old year reconciled for the mistakes we have made. And we want to begin the new year with a resolve to live in accordance with the light of Christ.
(I John 2:18-21; John 1:1-18)
Some people may find it curious that the Church ends the calendar year with a reading from the beginning of one of the gospels. However, those who remember the so-called Tridentine Mass will recognize the passage as the “Last Gospel.” It is still read at the closing of every mass celebrated according to the Tridentine rubrics.
The passage itself summarizes the story the whole gospel is about to tell. The Word of God, Jesus the Christ, existed before creation began and is the source of all creation. Although he is one with God, he came to live with humans so that we might share in the life of God. But like coyotes returning to their dens at sunrise, humans often reject the light of Christ. To those who brave the shame of having their sins exposed, however, Christ confers the grace of forgiveness.
Today is a choice day for going to confession. We want to end the old year reconciled for the mistakes we have made. And we want to begin the new year with a resolve to live in accordance with the light of Christ.
Homilette for Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Tuesday of the Second Week in Lent
(Isaiah 1:10.16-20; Matthew 23:1-12)
The gospel today should hit church-goers between the eyes. Jesus is criticizing the Pharisees, the religious zealots who give religion a bad name. They are pompous about practicing religion and hardly charitable toward other people. The passage implicitly asks us if we may not be women and men of the Pharisees. Do we like to be seen in church and to gossip about people after Mass? Do we complain intolerantly about other races and religions and turn a blind eye to the serious shortcomings of our own practice of faith? If so, we would be among the biggest of sinners in Jesus’ eyes.
An antidote to Pharisaism is frequent confession. Of course, people who think of themselves as good usually have little felt need of confession. They are like inmates of a prison whom the governor of a large state once visited. When he arrived at the prison, he was besieged with requests for a pardon. Everyone said that there were not guilty of the crime for which they were imprisoned. The governor held an assembly in which he asked if any inmate was justly sent to prison. Only one inmate raised his hand. Then the governor said he was going to pardon that man so that he wouldn’t corrupt all the others.
Most of us sin regularly at least by thoughtlessness and ingratitude. These sins may not be scarlet red but just a sickening pink that should also distress us.
(Isaiah 1:10.16-20; Matthew 23:1-12)
The gospel today should hit church-goers between the eyes. Jesus is criticizing the Pharisees, the religious zealots who give religion a bad name. They are pompous about practicing religion and hardly charitable toward other people. The passage implicitly asks us if we may not be women and men of the Pharisees. Do we like to be seen in church and to gossip about people after Mass? Do we complain intolerantly about other races and religions and turn a blind eye to the serious shortcomings of our own practice of faith? If so, we would be among the biggest of sinners in Jesus’ eyes.
An antidote to Pharisaism is frequent confession. Of course, people who think of themselves as good usually have little felt need of confession. They are like inmates of a prison whom the governor of a large state once visited. When he arrived at the prison, he was besieged with requests for a pardon. Everyone said that there were not guilty of the crime for which they were imprisoned. The governor held an assembly in which he asked if any inmate was justly sent to prison. Only one inmate raised his hand. Then the governor said he was going to pardon that man so that he wouldn’t corrupt all the others.
Most of us sin regularly at least by thoughtlessness and ingratitude. These sins may not be scarlet red but just a sickening pink that should also distress us.
Homilette for January 31, 2007
Monday, the Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
(John 1:1-18)
Some people may find it curious that the Church ends the calendar year with a reading from the beginning of one of the gospels. However, those who remember the so-called Tridentine Mass will recognize the passage as the “last gospel.” It is read at the closing of every mass celebrated according to the Tridentine rubrics.
The passage itself summarizes the story the whole gospel is about to tell. The Word of God, Jesus the Christ, existed before creation began and is the source of all creation. Although he is one with God, he came to live with humans so that we might share in the life of God. But like coyotes returning to their dens at sunrise, humans often reject the light of Christ. To those who brave the embarrassment of having their sins exposed, however, Christ confers the grace to repent and be forgiven.
Today is a choice day for going to confession. We want to end the old year reconciled for the mistakes we have made. And we want to begin the new year with a resolve to live in accord with the light of Christ.
(John 1:1-18)
Some people may find it curious that the Church ends the calendar year with a reading from the beginning of one of the gospels. However, those who remember the so-called Tridentine Mass will recognize the passage as the “last gospel.” It is read at the closing of every mass celebrated according to the Tridentine rubrics.
The passage itself summarizes the story the whole gospel is about to tell. The Word of God, Jesus the Christ, existed before creation began and is the source of all creation. Although he is one with God, he came to live with humans so that we might share in the life of God. But like coyotes returning to their dens at sunrise, humans often reject the light of Christ. To those who brave the embarrassment of having their sins exposed, however, Christ confers the grace to repent and be forgiven.
Today is a choice day for going to confession. We want to end the old year reconciled for the mistakes we have made. And we want to begin the new year with a resolve to live in accord with the light of Christ.
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