26-08-24 Pengakuan: Kunci untuk Pembebasan - Menunjukkan pentingnya pengakuan dosa dalam proses pen

Monday 21st week in ordinary time "Mt 23:13-22" "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves." Our Lord showed infinite compassion towards all kinds of sinners. He could forgive every sin. But here was a group of sinners with whom He was very harsh. Dealing with hypocrites, Jesus pulled no punches. Isn't God Merciful with every sinner? Why was He so severe with hypocrites? For one single reason: they didn't consider themselves sinners. God can forgive every sinner as long as they recognise their sins. Like an alcoholic, they can only solve the problem when they realise they have a problem. When little St Josemaría felt embarrassed trying new clothes, his mother used to tell him, "Josemaría, you should only be ashamed of sinning." There is no shame in confessing our sins. There is a story of a priest who found a devil messing around among the people waiting in the queue of his confessional. The priest asked him, "What are you doing here, you wretch?" "I took from them their shame of sinning," the evil spirit replied, "now I'm giving it back to them, so that they feel ashamed of confessing." A teacher had had a terrible year with a particular class. He'd kept a record of all the misdemeanours - more than 200! Towards the end of the year he was reading the list of offences and thinking about a proportionate punishment for the pupils. Suddenly a thought struck him. Next to every incident of misbehaviour was a name. There was not a single record without the name of the offender next to it. Then he realised that every time he asked, "Who did this?" someone always admitted the offence. Every single time! Not even once did the responsible pupil remain silent or blame someone else. 'They were rascals,' the teacher thought, but 'honest rascals.' How could he punish them? In the same way, God always forgives those who admit their guilt with sorrow. Holy Mary, Refuge of Sinners, help me to be always sorry for my sins and never delay my confession.