(Jn1:6-8,19-28) Receive Jesus is never automatic, we must prepare ourselves. After all, the first historical advent wasn't automatic. Only a small remnant of the Jews who experienced it accepted Jesus when He finally came. How automatic was Mary's "fiat," when John's father Zachariah, was struck dumb for not believing in lesser wonders. How did God prepare her to be the mother of the messiah? Strangely enough, by inspiring her to remain a perpetual virgin! Why would a betrothed woman ask how she will become a mother - further explaining that she does not know man - unless she intends not to consummate her marriage? Being host to the Eternal Word is no trifling matter. It wasn't for Israel, nor was it for Mary, nor will it be for us at the end of our lives. Nor is it a trifling matter to be host to Jesus in the Eucharist in the meantime. We must prepare especially by making frequent confessions.
Nothing is more certain than the reason the Father send Jesus: to forgive sins. After His resurrection Jesus said to His apostles: "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me so do I send you." He didn't add, "except you can't forgive sins like I did." Instead, He breathed on them and said: "Receive the Holy Spirit! Whose sins you forgive are forgiven, whose sins you retain are retained."
Some think we Catholics don't take God's word literally. Among other things, they claim that the sacrament of confession isn't in the bible. Well, who is doing the forgiving here, anyway? Had Jesus said: "Whose sins I retain are retained"? That would hardly be news! To forgive or not to forgive depends on a judgment. Who can make a judgment but a judge who has an ear to hear. And how can he hear unless we tell him our sins. However painful that may be, it usually brings psychological relief, but that's not what has brought Catholics to this sacrament for 2000 years. Faith brings us for absolution. When the priest absolves us, he is so closely identified with Christ, that He literally acts in the person of Christ. So much so that if a priest would ever dare say "May Christ absolve you from your sins," instead of "I absolve you from your sins," those sins would not be taken away in virtue of the sacramental absolution.
If we have perfect contrition are sins are forgiven even prior to confession, but who can know for sure whether his sorrow for sin is perfect or imperfect - whether we would really rather die than sin again? If we aren't that sorry, our sins are still forgiven with absolution. But then we have to suffer for them in purgatory. Most of us are masters of self-deception. That's why we can't receive holy communion with un-confessed mortal sins on our soul. Too much is at stake, namely the possibility of committing a sacrilegious communion. Even in biblical times some who did so became ill, others died! When we are truly sorry for our sins God will always forgive us, man will sometimes forgive us, but nature never forgives. A guilty conscience always leads to self-destructive behavior, no matter how deep we are into denial. The fathers likened confession to revealing oneself to the doctor. In both cases we must come to terms with our shame, but wouldn't it be foolish to die because shame kept us from going to the doctor. All of us should go to confession this advent, especially those who are in a state of mortal sin. Amen!
