“I have been healed so that you might
know the Lord’s power to forgive sins,” Joe Amaral proclaimed. Though formerly
wheelchair bound, Joe, a Portuguese immigrant who resides in New Bedford, Mass.,
stood up from his wheelchair in 2010. Miracles happen.
The greater miracle, he proclaims, is
what happened in the confessional days before. St. John Vianney said the
conversion of someone from a state of sin to grace is “a greater miracle than
what the Lord did to raise Lazarus!” Lazarus was DEAD. Not sleeping, not
snoozing, DEAD as a doornail. Lazarus checked out and his pulse flat lined.
Christ brought him back to life - lungs working, heart beating, life giving restoration.
Yet, what happens in the confessional is said to be a greater miracle?
Bl. John Paul II said that the
greatest tragedy of our time is unexpiated guilt. As a good shepherd, he worked
tirelessly to promote not only the devotion to Divine Mercy but he implored us,
his flock, to know God as He is - a tender, merciful, and forgiving God who longs
for our happiness and holiness more than we do. Pope Francis opened his
pontificate by proclaiming “The Lord never tires of forgiving, it is we who
tire of asking for forgiveness.” But how can we tire of asking for forgiveness
when carrying the weight of guilt is far more tiresome?
Pope Francis exhorts us: “Dear
brothers and sisters, as members of the Church are we conscious of the beauty
of this gift that God himself offers us? Do we feel the joy of this cure? …
Through the ministry of priests he holds us close in a new embrace and
regenerates us and allows us to rise again and resume the journey. For this is
our life: to rise again continuously and to resume our journey!”
As we prepare for Easter, we are
invited to make at least an annual confession. Maybe you went last night, maybe
it’s been several decades. It doesn’t matter. The Lord waits. He is waiting in
the tabernacle and He is waiting in the confessional. God longs to restore us
to right relationship with ourselves, our neighbors, and Himself.
The journey of the Passion led Christ
to Calvary. We were each bought at a high price, the price of Christ’s life. He
willingly laid down His life out of love. He calls us to confession so that we,
His Prodigal Son, might experience the
feast He has prepared for us. We approach the sacrament to exchange the weight
of our sins for the glory of His resurrection so that we too may rise to new life.
I confess; I love confession.
Verso l’alto,
Kathryn
It’s the whisper in your ear saying,
set it FREE
I believe in a thing called Love
In oceans
deep, my faith will stand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGRz2BJQRXU
Good Lord, show me the way!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NStkWiuYwqw
Good Lord, show me the way!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NStkWiuYwqw
Joe’s story
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