Diocese of Toledo, Ohio

Browsing From the Pastor

Is it Time for a Spritual Check-Up?

   It’s heartening to note the number of persons who celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation shortly before Christmas and before Easter. I sense that the frequency with which this Sacrament is celebrated during these two seasons is directly related to the abundance of generosity and good will that are expressed around Christmas and Easter.

   The tragedy of sin is that it is not seasonal. At all times during the year, we are tempted to give in to lovelessness and selfishness. Let’s look at signs suggesting that this may be happening. Apart from being open to the Presence and working of God in our daily lives, we can become very possessive of that which is presently entrusted to us, whether it be goods and services that we can purchase, other persons or our own need for personal recognition for what we do.

   Without an on-going awareness of the Lord in our daily lives, we can become preoccupied with painful realities that it might fall to us to experience: What if this or that happens to me? How can I continue to go forward if I have to live with this loss in my life? The list of “what ifs” can go on and on.

   When we’re not sensitive to the Lord’s Presence, we can give in to the inclination to impress others in some way or others. We can find ourselves playing the game of one-upmanship in relation to others. This comes to expression in the reluctance to let go of ways in which others have hurt us. When the Lord is not real for us in our daily lives, we can have problems in relating to the gift of time that has been entrusted to us. We can live with the illusion at times that either we have too much or too little time for all that we sense we need to do.

   If we see ourselves in the situations that I’ve been describing plus others that we can envision, we can benefit from celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are invited to reflect upon specific ways in which we’ve hurt ourselves, others, the environment and the Lord by our attitudes, actions, words or omissions.

   Besides receiving the forgiveness of all of our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are offered the strength to extend the Lord’s redeeming Presence in a fuller way in the settings in which we live. Fruits of celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation on a regular frequent basis include the following: 1) We can grow in the ability to treasure above all else that we are important because we are unconditionally loved and accepted by the Lord. 2) As this happens, we will more and more have a “hang loose” attitude toward all that has been presently entrusted to us. We won’t want anyone or anything simply for the sake of having these blessings. The Lord entrusts whatever comes to us as an opportunity to experience and to extend His redeeming Presence in the world. 3) Our attitude toward others, especially toward persons who have hurt us, will express something of the way in which the Lord relates to all persons. 4) We will grow into the ability to let go of that which has presently been entrusted to us for the sake of extending the Lord’s redeeming Presence in the world. 5) Time will not remain a problem for us. We will grow in the realization that we have just the right amount of time for all that the Lord would give to us and do in and through us.

   I hope that we will continue to grow in the awareness  of what the Lord wants to offer us as we celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If the regularly-scheduled times for celebrating this Sacrament don’t work for you, please call Fr. Beaver or any priest to work out a time that is mutually convenient.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Nelson Beaver – Pastor

Subscribe

RSS Feed

Archive


Access all blogs

Subscribe to all of our blogs