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Manila Bulletin

Opinion

Authority to forgive sins

Opinion

Authority to forgive sins

By Manila Bulletin

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Gospel • Mark 2:1-12

In truth, God alone can forgive sins.

A human being may forgive or excuse the sin of another, but something remains of that sin; the guilt still remains before God, it is not erased. Only God’s forgiveness removes the guilt.

But Jesus, as the Son of Man, possesses that divine power to forgive because he is also the Son of God. He has the authority to forgive sins on earth. Moreover, he shares this authority with his disciples.

At Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah, Peter is given the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, so that whatever he binds on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever he looses on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Mt 16:19).

In his resurrection, the risen Lord breathes on the disciples and says to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (Jn 20:22-23). This authority granted by Christ to the Church is the basis for the sacrament of Confession or Reconciliation.

In absolving sins, the priest minister declares, “Through the ministry of the Church, may God grant you pardon and peace. And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” It is not enough to confess our sins directly to God.

In Confession, through the words of the priest, we are given the assurance that our sins are truly forgiven.

Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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REFLECTIONS 365 Days with the Lord

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