Reconciliation

The father said to the older son, “But we had to celebrate and rejoice because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found” (Luke 15:32).

            Some time ago, I was talking with a young man about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “I do not understand why you need to confess your sins to a Priest when you can do so directly to God”, he stated. “But sin hurts more than your relationship with God”, I responded. “It damages your connections with the Church”. Through Sacramental Reconciliation, the Priest helps to heal the injury done to both”. Clearly, the Sacrament of Reconciliation addresses all the consequences of sin.

            In this passage from Luke, Jesus uses the Parable of the Loving Father to explain why it is necessary to celebrate the return of a sinner. By doing so, he demonstrates how Reconciliation is the way in which one’s former Spiritual status is restored.

            Within the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament, Reconciliation focused on the restoration of one’s relationship with God. Temple Sacrifice was an offering made to God as the price owed for the purification of a sinner. When David admitted his sin of Adultery with Bathsheba through Nathan, his repentance solely addressed the offence he committed against God. According to the Book of Chronicles, Manasseh humbled himself before God for his of Apostacy. Although Jesus

included this idea of restoration in his Teachings about Reconciliation, he added the concept of a sinner’s reintegration into the Community. After Christ healed a man with leprosy, he insisted on following the Jewish Law for his readmission to Society. In the Parable of the Loving Father, the response of the parent to his younger son’s return was reintegration into the family by such signs as: the robe; ring; sandals; and feast. It was likely these indicators of readmission which induced the harsh reaction of the older son. Repentance required penance not celebration. Yet, the father knew reintegration demanded the participation of all members of the family. He left the feast and appealed to his older son. After the elder sibling’s rant about the unfairness of what occurred, the Father’s reply noted his son’s fidelity and future reward. But Reconciliation required not just the restoration of the younger son to the family but also his readmission into all its relationships. He was not “your son” but rather a brother.

            Our Modern Society has an ambiguous understanding of the concept of Reconciliation. On the one hand, it is considered a good thing because it ends conflicts and reduces tensions. If the disputing parties reach a resolution, they both benefit from the Peace. However, it often takes a long time for relationships to heal and trust to be re-established. Readmission of the parties into the larger Community is usually hindered by suspicions rooted in bad memories. If compromise was required for the resolution of the dispute, questions about the fairness of the settlement begin to arise: who really won and who lost? For Catholics and other people of Faith, these situations raise important questions. Their Morality is founded upon the Principle of Justice: every person gets their due. It is unjust for some to receive preferential treatment. Yet, their Faith also makes clear Mercy balances Justice. While the restoration of one’s relationship with God is an essential part of Reconciliation so is readmission into the Community. Sin clearly damages our bond with God. But the sinner’s relationships within the Church, even with those not affected by the action, are also weakened. The credibility of Church Teachings is undermined when Catholics disregard them. Public scandal caused by such actions weakens the confidence of Church Members in their Faith. It also gives opponents of Catholicism more chances to attack it. Reconciliation means this harm must be recognized and overcome. When the Priest celebrates Sacramental Reconciliation he not only represents God but the Community. When he offers the Prayer of Absolution during the Sacrament of Reconciliation the Priest insures the restoration of a sinner’s relationship with God and his or her reintegration into the Church. It deals with all parts of a Catholic’s Spiritual life.

            Nothing can stop God from pardoning sins outside of Sacramental Reconciliation since he is the source of all forgiveness. Yet, when Christ instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation, he understood it had to address both the need for restoration of one’s relationship with God and the reintegration of the sinner into the Community. Through the actions of the Priest, all of these dimensions of sin, including the restoration of the sinner’s former status, are addressed.

September 11, 2022