Confession - The Forgotten Sacrament and Grace

It should be no surprise, after decades of being told it is unlikely that any of us have committed a mortal sin and that we are "good people" whom a loving and merciful God would never send to hell, that we have lost the sense of sin, a healthy fear of hell, a concern for the salvation of souls, and a recognition of our need to seek Sacramental forgiveness.

How refreshing then that our Holy Father is beckoning the members of Christ's Church to discard these untruths, to humble themselves and to be reconciled and transformed by the healing graces of that great and undeserved Sacrament.

In doing so, Pope Francis is extending the same invitation offered by many of his predecessors. 

No doubt his invitation echoes the wisdom of Pope Paul VI:

Let's us pray that all who profess to be Catholic will heed the invitation of Christ's Vicar on earth and will go to confession, not only during the "Day of Reconciliation" he has announced for next weekend, March 29 and 30th, but on a regular basis thereafter.

May we have the wisdom not to ignore our Holy Father, as so many of us have his predecessors and our Lord.