We now interrupt this irregularly scheduled program to bring you the usual commercial for the sacrament of Pennance, or CONFESSION!! Everyone’s favorite topic. Not because I am on my high horse, but because I need it so much….

Ok, so you are perfect and you don’t need forgiveness. You didn’t do anything. OR you did something SO bad, that you can’t bear to tell a priest? He has heard people confess to murder, adultery, and other many other things, but you did something EVEN WORSE. No? I know! Why should you tell him your sins? He isn’t perfect. He isn’t God. It’s between YOU and God. Or, he isn’t ordained by Jesus to forgive sins on Jesus’ behalf, because you don’t believe that part of the bible, Matthew 16:19, where Jesus tells Peter that he gives him the keys to heaven, to bind and loose sin as the church sees fit, and all of the decendents of Peter and his ordained are asked to do this very thing. (CCC 1441-1458).

Anyway, let’s just pretend that none of that interests you at all. That is ok. We are happy go-lucky-society and I don’t want to burden you with any heavy thinking or guilt (because “we shouldn’t feel bad about anything as long as we didn’t hurt anyone”). But I have to tell you some sad news. You are missing out. Big time.

Have you noticed that if you pray for something God didn’t answer your prayer? There are lots of reasons for that, but one likely reason could be because if you haven’t been to confession in a while, you have blocked the lines of communication between you and God. You have blocked out grace, the channel by which God can reach you. It would be like trying to make an email send without an online connection. Not much good, huh? God hears us, but your heart may not open to what He can do you for you. Maybe our pride or hard-heartedness has blocked Him out. He is the Ultimate Gentleman. He won’t barge His way into your life. You must invite Him. And what better way than posting an invitation that begins “You are invited to the house of…..”

If you had the president to your house for a party, are you telling me you wouldn’t clean the house first? (If you are K, you may even paint the walls for a little old friend…what a hostess!) So why wouldn’t we clean “house” for God? Our souls need cleaned out to make way for grace. Start this Lent with a clean heart and a good line of communication. And treat yourself to this “housecleaning” at least a few times a year. Even our real houses need cleaned more than that! So I will leave you with a little help! Check out this new websit that advertised on ZENIT (News from Rome) that helps you through the process of reconciliation! http://www.thepenanceproject.org/Home.aspx