The Call to Repentance

 

St. John the Baptist

Dear Parishioners,

During the second Sunday of Advent each year, St. John the Baptist is featured in the gospel reading. His call is to repentance and to be baptized as an outward sign of one’s turning away from sin. He is an austere figure who lived in the desert and attracted many from the surrounding region to hear his message of repentance.

The Church gives us this figure during Advent to encourage all of us to prepare for the coming of the Messiah, who we proclaim is Jesus of Nazareth, by repenting of our sins and a by conversion of the way we live our lives—from sin to righteousness.

From a Catholic perspective, the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation (Confession) is the best way to accomplish this today. All of the sacraments impart to us Grace, which is the supernatural help that God gives us by an intimate experience of His Divine Presence. Jesus interacts with us in every sacrament and raises us beyond the ordinary with His Divine help.

Fortunately, since I have been at St. Thomas More Parish over the past five years, I have witnessed more people availing themselves of this sacrament on a regular basis. I certainly promote this practice. When I was growing up, the religious sisters who taught me encouraged monthly confession. We were told to examine our consciences each night before we went to bed and then say an act of contrition. Moreover, we were urged to get into the habit of monthly confession and to be sure to go as soon as possible if there was any serious (mortal) sin in our lives. Confession is required before receiving Holy Communion, if mortal sin is involved.

Some day we will come before the judgment seat of Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:10) and will have to account for all we have done, good and bad. We will then see things as God sees them and will better comprehend the impact of our actions on others. Each time we take advantage of the sacrament of confession, we prepare for that Day of Judgment and are given the opportunity to repent now, to receive God’s forgiveness and to begin anew. It is the confession of our sins to Christ, through the instrument of the priest, who then gives us absolution in the name of Jesus Himself. The basis of this belief is Jesus’ own words to his apostles on Easter Sunday night:

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (Jn. 20: 19-23)

So when you hear me urge everyone to make a sacramental confession during Advent, and to get into the habit of monthly confession, just think of me as continuing the work of St. John the Baptist today.

As long as there is sin, there will always be a call to repentance and conversion.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor