JESUS GAVE ME A TOTALLY AMAZING SURPRISE TODAY, AS HE CALLED OUT TO ME!
Being pregnant, mother of five, sick, weak, and overwhelmed, I had struggled getting any time to share in the most blessed and cleansing Sacrament of Confession! I hadn't gone in a couple of months, and I was truly tarnished, bruised and beaten! I had, of course, been sorrowful, repented, and felt ashamed for the sins that I had saddened my sweet Jesus with, but had not had the most blessed opportunity to throw myself at His Feet, by running to His precious servants (His holy priests) to whom He granted special gifts of forgiveness to, in order that they may guide us from our earthly exile, home to Him.
John 20:19-23
"19 In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, 'Peace be with you,'
20 and, after saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord,
23 If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone's sins, they are retained."
It is plain and simple....this is what He asks us to do and who am I to question my loving and mighty Creator, King of Heaven and of Earth
Confession is truly the hardest, but most awesome physically Grace-filled Sacrament, of the Seven. I literally feel physically renewed each time I leave the Confessional, after so humbly laying all of my shortcomings at the Foot of the Cross, as they may burn in a life-giving sacrifice for my soul.
Remember, Jesus asks me for nothing more than EVERYTHING that I have....which is all of my human-ness and my brokenness, for He delights in this offering of mine, because it is truly ALL that I HAVE to give to Him....because anything in me that is good, is already Him!
I found myself driving passed the church, without any kids in the car, without any place to be for the next little while, DURING a scheduled Confession time....I thanked Him as I slowly walked into the beautiful reverent and dimly lit Sanctuary, happy to be there, tired of the load of burdens that I had been carrying on my weakend shoulders (ready to lay them down) but also a little fearful of facing my soul in this way
"Bless me father, for I have sinned"
"Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us"
"Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us"
"Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, grant us peace"
"Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed"
30 minutes later, as the sun was setting and the sky was growing dark.....I felt EXACTLY like this.......
(and I could hear the song "Pride", by U2...Better known as "In the Name of Love"a hit from the 80's, playing loudly in my mind)
"Father, all Powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give You thanks and praise. You never cease to call us to a new and more abundant life"
"Father, all Powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give You thanks and praise. You never cease to call us to a new and more abundant life"
