The Most Important Thing

If you never read another sentence I write on this blog, I can handle that. I want everyone who sees this post to read it, and if they are so inclined, to pass it on to others. Echoing the sentiments of both Fr. John Zuhlsdorf and the National Catholic Register, I want to tell you the most important thing I will ever write, either on this blog, or anywhere else.

No sin you can commit, no number of sins, is so bad that God cannot or will not forgive them. There is nothing you can do to lose God's love or make Him turn His back on you. You are a finite human, even if you are the most powerful person on earth, and God is Love, Mercy, and Forgiveness itself. There is no way you can make Him stop loving you. It's not possible.

Many people have asked me to pray for them over the past year, and have told me that they want my prayers specifically because "God will listen to you". They were overwhelmed by the weight of what troubled them, by the weight of their sins, and were convinced the God would not listen to them because of what they'd done. This is not true, and it will never be. If Osama bin Laden had chosen to pray to God sincerely, with a contrite heart, God would have listened.

Too many people today have committed mortal sin, it's true. But there is a way to be forgiven, and we forget that. The Church offers every person the Sacrament of Confession, and all the graces that come with it. No matter what you have done, you can confess it, and leave your sin there. Through Confession, your sin is gone. Completely gone. It's not covered, whitewashed, or forgotten, it doesn't exist anymore. This is the power and goodness of God, who will take your every transgression, and put them as far away from you as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).

Confession is being offered at World Youth Day by thousands of priests, and the Pope has given all of them the authority to remove the excommunication on anybody who confesses abortion. Many outlets have taken this poorly, implying that the only way a woman, or anyone who participates in an abortion, could have this excommunication lifted is by taking a very expensive flight to Madrid, and confessing before August 22nd. Others have said that it's a misogynistic effort by the Pope and the Church to get the upper hand over the "filthy sluts" who've had abortions. This is untrue.

The reason this power is being given to the priests in Madrid this week is the same reason the Sacrament of Confession is offered at all. The Church is primarily in the business of saving souls, and she wants, just as do God and all His ministers, to see souls reconciled to God. She wants all her children to know the depth of God's love for them, and she wants them to know joy and peace. But this is not it. After Madrid, and after this week, there will always be a chance for any sinner to approach God and confess his or her sins.

Confession, like the Cross, is an expression of God's love for us, His love for you. He died for your sins, even the ones you haven't committed yet, and He is always willing to forgive them if you are contrite and willing to amend your life. Imagine that, someone who loves you so much, that no matter what you do, or how many times you hurt Him or others, He is always ready and willing to forgive you. No person is like that, and no person ever will be. Only God is like that, and He is offering you a chance, no, infinite chances. Take advantage of that.

Confessing is hard, especially if you're confessing mortal sins. This is what scares some people away. They're afraid of how hard it will be to own up to what they've done, or they're scared the priest will judge them, or tell someone their sins. The priest knows how hard it is to confess, because he's done it himself, and he knows that it's almost never cut-and-dry. No priest will judge you for seeking forgiveness, and they are all bound never to reveal what anyone says, on pain of being excommunicated themselves. You have nothing to lose by confessing, and everything to gain. Take advantage of that, too.

If you are suffering from or weighed down by sin as you read this, please, find a priest, and Confess. I have gone through many difficult and painful Confessions, and I know how scary it is to do. The feeling of nervousness and dread is nothing compared to the relief and peace and grace of confessing. Remember that God still loves you, and you are more precious to Him than anything in the world. He wants you to come back to Him, and He wants to show you the immensity of His love for you. God is waiting anxiously for you to come home, like the Prodigal Son, and all of heaven is waiting to throw you a party when you do. Nothing is to big, or too bad, or too much for God to forgive, so please, come back home. I promise you won't regret it.