I believe in the forgiveness of sins
It’s not by accident that this Article follows ‘I believe in the communion of saints.’ You know the adage – if you throw a rock into a lake, you’ll see how the ripples reach out from the center. So it is with sin and so it is with the forgiveness of sins. Our actions do affect us, our relationship with others and our relationship with God.
And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.
John 20:22-23
Our Baptism is the first and chief sacrament of forgiveness of sins; it unites us to Christ, who died and rose, and gives us the Holy Spirit. I’ve recently been gifted to be a part of four Baptisms in our parishes. Each child of God that is presented at the font enters into a new life, a new intimate relationship and becomes part of the communion of saints. April 27, 1962. That is when my new life in the church began.
Since that day, I have fallen many times into sin and many times have I reached out to God’s loving hand and have been forgiven through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I have heard the words spoken by the priest “I absolve you”. This immeasurable gift can only be given by God through His Priest as Jesus instructed. It’s a remarkable moment for me. I know with those words I can begin again in humility to love my God with a renewed spirit.
When Jesus is the center, the rock that we throw into the lake, the ripples are love and goodness and kindness and joy and peace. These are stronger than the powers of evil. Stronger than sin, hatred and death.
Our God loves us so much that his response to our sin is mercy and forgiveness. He cradles his children lovingly in His arms. All we have to do is go to Him.