THROUGH UNTRUE

When was the last time you felt truly sorry for having done something wrong? Was the remorse so intense that you made a sincere confession, promised to do better, and performed some form of penance or restitution?

In a world steeped in moral relativism, many of us sin without acknowledging or admitting it. We often downplay the reality of sin by labeling it as a “mistake,” an “inborn weakness,” “a choice,” or even “an expression of freedom.” We rationalize our sinfulness by claiming that “we were born this way,” or “we are victims of circumstances” or by arguing that “everybody is doing it.” We forget that right is right, even if no one does it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone does it.

In today’s Gospel reading, St. John the Baptist strongly urges us to feel remorse for our sins, warning that delaying repentance might mean losing our chance for forgiveness (Luke 3:1-6). While it is true that God will never withdraw His offer of mercy and absolution, our time on earth is brief, and our opportunity to seek forgiveness is limited. Nothing is more tragic than a missed opportunity. Jesus Himself warns: “Unless you repent now, you will all perish” (Luke 13:4).

Some may argue, “I’ll repent when I face a terminal illness or when I’m on my deathbed.” St. Paul cautions against this mindset. He writes: “Do not deceive yourselves and do not mock God. You reap what you sow. The one who sows to the flesh will reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7-8).

In other words, we die as we live. If we have spent our lives ignoring God, how can we suddenly desire to be with Him in heaven? Even if God grants that desire, how can we be happy with a God with whom we never had an intimate relationship? Imagine spending eternity with a total stranger!

Repentance should not be delayed. When sin becomes a habit, it blinds us to its destructive effects, distorts our priorities and leads us to prize highly those that give us immediate satisfaction but leave us guilty, empty, and full of self-loathing.

Many people are genuinely sorry for their sins, but they prefer to confess directly to God rather than to a priest. They will find consolation in the late Erma Bombeck, who, with her sharp wit, humorously predicted that one day Catholics would no longer confess their sins to a priest, but to an Automatic Confession Machine (ACM) installed in every church. 

You would approach the machine and say, “Father, bless me, for I have sinned.” A menu would appear on a screen. You would select the number of days since your last confession and check off the sins you have committed. The machine would then generate a printout with your penance and some spiritual advice.

Yet Bombeck wisely observed that, even if such technology were possible, forgiveness would be sacrificed on the altar of convenience. Imagine a church where everyone is searching for a button to push! Furthermore, Bombeck pointed out that no machine could ever replace a priest because the Church will never ordain a software.

Jesus established how we can ordinarily receive forgiveness. He told His disciples, and by extension, their successors: “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven; whose sins you shall retain, they are retained” (John 20:23). If He himself sought forgiveness for our sins by being born in our likeness and by suffering a terrible death, why should we choose the easy and convenient way? Seeking forgiveness on our own terms is an act of pride. 

The Advent season is a time for repentance and renewal. In all humility, let us ask God to heal our broken relationships with Him and others, release the burden of unresolved guilt that torments us, and restore our inner sense of integrity, harmony, and peace.