Daily Meditation - Wednesday 30th. Jan. 2008 - SACRAMENT OF PENANCE - A TIME OF JOY

[BarbaraTherese]

DAILY MASS READINGS
usccb.org/nab/013008.shtml

Further Reflection - this always gives invaluable background information and food for thought:
here

**Meditation **
wau.org/meditations/meditations.asp?month=01&day=30&year=2008&x=7&y=5

Puzzled by Jesus’ parable of the sower, his disciples asked him for an explanation—and he replied with a quote from Isaiah that seemed even more puzzling! Did Jesus really tell parables so that “people will look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand” (Mark 4:12; Isaiah 6:9-10)?

Certainly not! Jesus longs for his children to hear, understand, and obey him. ***He is not saying that God reveals the mysteries of his kingdom to some, and deliberately hides them from others (Mark 4:11). However, he knows that we have free will. He knows that some will respond to God’s revelation with faith, while others will close their hearts. He also knows that if we continually shut our ears to his voice, a time will come when we simply won’t be able to hear him at all! ***
How can we guard against the risk of failing to recognize and understand God’s truth?

One way is to keep ourselves humble—through repentance and frequent confession.

Contrary to popular opinion, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not meant to punish us! The confessional is not supposed to be an arena in which we beat up on ourselves. Rather, it’s meant to be a place of healing and restoration. When we come face to face with God’s amazing love and mercy, we are transformed. We’re no longer walking around with long faces, terrified of God’s judgment. We are ***joyful ***

because he has given us “the oil of gladness in place of mourning” (Isaiah 61:3).
There’s nothing better than knowing that we’ve been forgiven. There’s no greater feeling than having our guilt be completely wiped away. But in addition to the joy it gives us,*** Confession helps us grow closer to God. ***

When we see how great he is, we don’t want to offend him anymore.

We focus less on our sins

and more on loving and serving him. We become like the good soil in Jesus’ parable—open to hearing his word, and more receptive to the work that his Spirit wants to do in us. And the blessings Jesus has promised us can flow freely into our lives because all the obstacles have been removed!

“Jesus, thank you for your mercy and forgiveness! As I come to your sacrament of healing, give me a humble heart so I can embrace all the grace you offer me.”

 

[BarbaraTherese]

In a healthy spirituality I dont think any one place is "right"to the exclusion of all esle. I can be overcome with sorrow at my sins and perhaps moved to tears, at another time I may feel great joy in approaching the Sacrament of The Mercy of Jesus - joy, praise and thanksgiving. Feelings are strange creatures - like windmills they can shift in any old breeze. Theology, which informs Faith, tells us that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a celebration of the Mercy of God - hence joyful, since it is the real place where Jesus waits with His Loving Compassionate Mercy to anyone who approaches the Sacrament seeking His Mercy …although at times ye olde feelings can be overcome with great sorrow at sin…or is it just embarrassment? A just question. Feelings I have a tendancy to distrust and prefer logic and/or Faith and what theology tells me, while acknowledging that my feelings are important in the big picture - they tell me where I am at, although not always why I am where I am at.
If I am able to discern with accuracy why my feelings are what they are, this can tell me a lot about myself. I can indeed be deceived by my feelings…but our Catholic Theology is stable and true and informs Faith in the mind or will.
If my prime focus in my spirituality is myself then probably my sinfulness will be the focus…if my prime focus is The Lord then wonder and awe on reflecting on the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be prime and praise and thanksgiving to The Lord for His Mercy and His Peace, which does not of course mean that I never reflect on my sinfulness. That magic word in spirituality again: balance. How can I achieve balance?..I know of no other way than to prayerfully ask for the gift to be always moved primarily by The Holy Spirit and to always humbly hope in it with a hope that is active and joyful, confident and trustful to the Glory of The Father in the footsteps of His Son…to live my very ordinary every day life as Jesus would have lived it were He me living out this very ordinary every day life.

Blessings - Barb