When I was in my senior year of high school, I decided to do something and that was set things straight with people I had anything against. A friend named Jared I’ll just leave it at that. I called him. When I heard his voice for the first time in about 5 years, I felt that sense of sorrow. I told him I was sorry, sorry for the things I said, for letting myself be influenced by them and I was sorry for it all. I will never forget the long pregnant pause I heard on that telephone ended with an incredibly heartfelt: “Thank you”.
Have you ever forgiven someone who did not apologize? What if they said that a simple decision to do better. I had a friend who everytime they did something wrong or hurt someone they just ‘apologized’ saying ‘Sorry I’m high maintance.’
Sometimes we don’t officially come and apologize because we think we are seen as weak. Studies show that people who apologize are seen by others to be more upstanding and virtuous because they are willing to admit and own their mistake, that they are capable of self reflection. I had a friend that told me when someone comes and apologizes, don’t say “It’s Ok.”, but say I forgive you, or I accept your apology. It shows what they did was hurtful and that you accept their action.
Theme of exile. After baptism we can still and still do stray. We choose that which is not in accord with the forgiveness we have received.
John proclaimed a baptism of repentance. Repentance: metanoia meaning change of mind. Paenatentia. We have turned from God, but God will make a highway to come back to him.
Confession is a means and a way to fully give, accept and hear apology and forgiveness. The valleys filled and the mountain made low is to make that road to God more accessible.
The church has two sacraments called sacraments of healing, one for physical and the other for soul: Confession. Also called Penance because it consecreates our steps back to the Lord.
Yes, we acknowledge God as author if forgiveness and the one who has forgiven, but this sacrament is for our journey. It is for us and our actions that not only need to be told they are broken but also that we have a way back to the Lord.
Contrition: waters of baptism were an instrument of God’s forgiveness. The water of our tears become another instrument of God’s forgiveness. Our sorrow for our sins. We also see ourselves not just as a self perfecting act.
After contrition is the full confession of our sins and then the firm resolve not to sin again. It didn’t even matter that much to you what you did. You must also resolve to not sin again. This is not the same as never committing it again. There is one thing to be sorry and then out of weakness to fall into it, there is another to have a determined will that you will do it again.