The small red light above the door went dark indicating my turn had come. I entered the dim-lit room, knelt down, made the Sign of the Cross, and began. “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”
It was more or less a duplicate of the list I had brought last time, not written out, but clearly transcribed in my mind. I knew what I had done. I knew what I had failed to do. And I knew I needed forgiveness.
I was frustrated that I’d missed the mark again, but even more so that after intentional efforts, the same patterns and bad habits continued to find their way into my life and fracture my relationship with God. I was tired of confessing the same sins over and over and found it hard to believe that God wasn’t just as tired, if not more, of hearing them.
In spite of that discouragement, as I spoke my act of contrition and the priest announced my absolution, I felt genuinely lighter. The grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation washed over me, reminding me of God’s unrelenting mercy. My difficulty comprehending the extent of His goodness doesn’t erase it.
“For with the Lord is kindness and with Him is plenteous redemption” (Psalm 130:7). These words are a balm to my weary heart. In them, I am reminded that not only does our Creator offer complete forgiveness, but He does so abundantly and with kindness, whether or not I think I am deserving of it.
[bctt tweet="Our Creator offers complete forgiveness. // Sarah Rose" username="blessedisshe__"]
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If you're weary of the same sins, take the time to go to Confession more regularly or seek out spiritual direction.
