Jeff,
I liked your article. I think it is such a shame that many cradle Catholics don’t appreciate this sacrament and many protestants ridicule and fear this about the Catholic Church. I myself, being of the cradle Catholic group, did not appreciate the graces or this sacrament until a few years ago either. One day, the day of my divorce, there was a penitential service and reconcilliation at my parish. I had wanted to go, but I didn’t have a way to go without taking 3 small children and I knew I didn’t want to do that. As I went to dinner that night, to meet a friend, she took one look at me and saw my need. She insisted that I go and she would watch my kids for me. So I went. As I was there, angry at God, myself and the world in general for all I had been though with my husband leaving me and the divorce, it occurred to me that it was my anger that was impeding my relationship with God. At the end, I went to reconcilliation, still angry at the world. When I got into the confessional, I took one look at the priest and blurted out how angry I was and how tired I was of the whole thing. As I confessed, I felt a sudden peace I hadn’t felt for years…it was as if all that anger had just melted away. What a miracle! What a blessing! As I left the church that night I realized that it was my PRIDE that caused the anger and that caused the distance in my relationship with God. Ever since then I have loved the sacrament! The healing I received that night was indeed a miracle. I just wish my protestant friends could feel what I felt that night, That night I felt the love and mercy of God in such a real way. Fear and pride are the worst enemies of all people. Yet fear and pride are often the very reasons that keep those same people from experiencing the love and mercy of our Lord in Reconcilliation.
