Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the Palm Sunday.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! The tenth article of the Apostle’s Creed is “I believe in the forgiveness of sins.” There are four (4) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this article of the Creed. The following is a reflection on article 984.
Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033–1109) rhetorically asked the question: ‘Why did God become man’ (Cur Deus Homo) in his treatise on the Incarnation. Our profession of faith, the Creed, reminds us that part of the reason for the Incarnation, God becoming man, is for the forgiveness of sins. Only God can forgive sins. Jesus is God and He forgave sins during His earthly ministry (cf. Matthew 9:6; Mark 2:7–10; Luke 5:21–24; 23:34…). Jesus continues to forgive sins through His mystical body the Church even until the end of the ages (cf. Matthew 28:20; Mark 16:16).
The wideness of God’s mercy is apparent in Jesus’ teaching regarding forgiveness (cf. Matthew 18:21–22; 35; Mark 3:28–30; Luke 17:3). God requires our repentance and sorrow for our sins as a condition for our being forgiven (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10). Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal clearly shows the repentance of the son and the generous mercy of the father which is analogous for the relationship between God and us (cf. Luke 15:11–32). The conditional nature of forgiveness and mercy is apparent in the Lord’s prayer: forgive us as we forgive (cf. Matthew 6:12) and in other exhortations given us by the Lord (cf. Mark 11:25–26; Luke 6:37)..
A key part of the forgiveness of sins is tied to the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us to examine our consciences and convicts us of our sins (cf. John 16:8–9; 1 Corinthians 11:28–29). If we fail to recognize sin in our lives we will never repent (1 John 1:8). Each of us needs to repent our sins (cf. Mark 1:15; Romans 3:23; 5:12). The Holy Spirit is given not only to each believer as part of the grace of Holy Baptism, but also as a part of the grace of Holy Orders to the ordained. The risen Lord Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to the Apostles in a special way when He breathed upon them (cf. John 20:22).
Even before the resurrection, the Lord Jesus confided the ‘power of the keys,’ to bind and to loose to Saint Peter (cf. Matthew 16:19). This has been understood not only in relation to governance and authority in the Church, but also as a part of the exercise of the power to forgive sins (cf. Acts 2:38). The risen Christ also confided the power to pardon sins to the Apostles (cf. John 20:23; Matthew 18:18). The Bishops are the successors of the Apostles. The Bishops exercise the ministry of mercy, forgiveness, which they have inherited from the Apostles personally and with the help of their priests who administer the Sacraments of Baptism and Penance and deacons who also can administer solemn Baptism.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr