Today is the only Sunday of the year that we hear from the Prophet Baruch, and he proclaims a message of great joy. The exile of the Israelites is at an end and God would restore them to their homeland. They will see again the holy city of Jerusalem. “God is leading Israel in joy,” he says, “by the light of his glory...” The psalmist sings: “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” St. Paul assures the Philippians: “I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you.”
But then, the mood shifts when we encounter St. John the Baptist. The Church has always arranged that he make an appearance in Advent. His message is different, it is difficult to embrace. He preaches “repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Repentance? Where is the message of joy? Strange as it may seem, it is there, hidden, if you will, in his call to repentance.
We can say this because repentance is the door to joy. When I with courage and humility, acknowledge my sinfulness before God and seek His forgiveness, I am unburdened of my guilt. I am brought to freedom and given a new beginning. This is the joy the Baptist offered to those who came to him for baptism
Joy comes when we bring low the mountains and hills of our injustices, when we make straight and smooth the rough ways of our pride, our resentments, our anger, and self-centered attitudes. How can we receive Christ into our hearts at Christmas, how can we receive Him in the Eucharist, if we don’t pass through the door of repentance?
As Catholics we have the means to accomplish this—the Sacrament of Penance. But we rarely see it as a joyful sacrament. It is misjudged and underappreciated.
Many people agonize over the prospect of going to Confession. Some are embarrassed, some struggle with the very notion of sin. They wonder what constitutes a sin. (At times people will ask, “Father is that still a sin?”)
I am sure many people would say, “If the Church would change the format, to make it easy, I would go.” I recently saw a cartoon which depicted a woman kneeling in the confessional facing not a screen or a priest but a keypad with a recording. The voice says, “Thank you for using our automated service. For mortal sins, press 1, for venial sins, press 2.” Would we really like that! No? [It certainly would make it easier for me!]
During this COVID time, our parish has seen a great decline in the number of people coming to confession. This may be due to the fact that we our still not permitted to use the traditional confessional with a screen. Most people prefer it and they may be waiting for its return. The “face to face” arrangement makes penitents uncomfortable. [It makes this confessor no less uncomfortable!] In fact, I try to keep my eyes downcast to place the penitent at ease.
The longer one is away, the more difficult Confession becomes. People struggle with what to do, what to say, and as a result, they stay away. The problem with this is that it leads to complacency, with remaining satisfied with the “status quo” of our spiritual life with little desire to grow spiritually.
Our Lord says: “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than the other ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.” When was the last time you made a sacramental confession? [Don’t raise your hand to answer!] Take courage. Do not be afraid. Confession is not a torture but an experience of mercy and peace It’s “ok” to say, “Father, it’s been a long time. I need a little help.”
Christmas is approaching. On our path to the Christmas manger, to the Eucharist, stands the formidable John the Baptist. He proclaims repentance. Let’s pass through its door to a new and joyful life.
