Have Mercy on me

She . . . told him the whole truth. 

There are some intriguing parallels between the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the story of the woman who touched Jesus’ garment.

First, there’s the likeness between the woman’s illness and our experience of sin.   Of course, we don’t equate sickness with sin, but we can see some analogies.   The woman couldn’t stop blood from flowing out of her body.   This affliction marked her as “unclean” and prevented her from worshipping in the Temple.   That’s a striking image for the way sin drains life from our spirit and prevents us from freely relating with God and from receiving the Eucharist.

Next, there’s pushing past our apprehensions to seek out Jesus.   The woman had to deal with the crowd.   She also didn’t know what Jesus would say, even as she was falling down at his feet.   For us, Confession might be accompanied by similar anxieties.   Maybe we’ve had the experience of waiting in a long line of people before it’s our turn in the confessional.   We might have wondered, “What will these people think of me?   What will the priest think?   Is God in a good mood today, or is he upset with me?”

Then comes the amazing power that pours into us the moment we touch Jesus in Confession.   It’s a stream of mercy and grace that washes away all of our impurities.   All is cleansed, and our spirit is healed.

Finally, we receive “pardon and peace” because our sins have been forgiven.   The woman was worried about talking to Jesus, but she didn’t have to be.   Likewise, we don’t have to live one more day with the burden of guilt.   We can have the peace that comes from encountering the mercy of God.

Don’t be afraid to come before the Lord with “the whole truth”.   He won’t get upset with you.   He’s eager to bless and encourage you.   Try to push past any apprehension and seek out the sacrament, even if it’s been a while.   After all, peace is waiting for you.   Life is waiting for you.

word among us