Mercy

I remember when I participated in a Cursillo retreat, I.H.M. Sister Margaret McAnoy said, “When you die, God is going to ask you about your life. God is going to ask, ‘Did you enjoy it?’” I was surprised and delighted by this question. It’s amazing how a few words can change a perspective and these words changed my perspective about who God is. God went from being a critical, demanding judge to being a generous, enthusiastic cheerleader—in less than 25 words. What this said to me was that no matter how far I wander from God or no matter how broken I am, God waits, patiently and mercifully, God waits.

Perhaps this is why we feel a sense of discontent when we do wrong—it is not that God is provoking us in order to judge us—it is that God is nudging us in order to embrace us in mercy. God longs for us. God waits to discover over and over that our true joy is only to be found in God.

This is the joy we celebrate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is the joy of returning to God who has been waiting for us with open arms. This Tuesday, as part of our Lenten activities, our parish will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation at 7:30. Lent has historically had a twofold focus, the movement of the catechumens toward baptism and the movement of penitents toward reconciliation. Both of these movements are related, because reconciliation is seen as renewing our baptism, cleansing our sin and renewing our life in God.

On Tuesday, we will be joined by our candidates: those who were baptized in another faith tradition or those who were baptized as Catholics but never received any further faith formation. These candidates will experience the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. Let us pray that we, along with the candidates, will again experience the joy of life in God. God is waiting with open arms.