HOLY WEDNESDAY
FORGIVE YOURSELF
The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced. – Isaiah 50:7
In one large gathering, a young woman came up to me and asked, “Can you hear my confession?”
I shook my head, “I’m sorry, I’m not a priest.” But I saw
desperation in her eyes as she told me, “But can I still confess my sins
to you?”
“I can listen to you, pray for you, but I can’t absolve you of your sins,” I said.
She said, “That’s fine. I just need someone to talk to.”
We walked to a corner of the hall and she poured her heart to me,
sharing her guilt. As she did so, I felt an urging from God to tell her,
“My dear friend, God loves you more than you can ever imagine.” She
began to cry almost uncontrollably. “Bo, I know God loves me. But I
don’t love myself. I know God forgives me. But I can’t forgive myself
for what I’ve done,” she said.
Through the years, I’ve met many people like her who’ve already
asked for God’s forgiveness but can’t seem to forgive themselves. They
seem to think that their sin is bigger than God’s love for them. They
seem to think that their moral standards are higher than God’s
standards.
God doesn’t want us to grieve and wallow in guilt. Focus on God’s love for you. Or you fall into despair. Bo Sanchez (bosanchez@
kerygmafamily.com)
Reflection: Do you carry the guilt of some sins you’ve already confessed?
Father, help me with Your grace to forgive myself as You’ve forgiven me.
St. Hugh of Grenoble, pray for us.
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