When Heaven Meets Earth

In His mercy, God made my experience of going to Lenten confession at our parish on Friday night, April 11th, truly remarkable—dare I say, heavenly. Heavenly, because it genuinely felt like a conversation with Jesus through the priest. But before I dive into that, I’d like to take a moment to talk about the Sacrament of Reconciliation itself.

God’s mercy heals and makes us whole. This is common knowledge. A universal truth. And we know that its profoundness is undeniably meaningful around Christmast time and Lent, where together, we are drawn by a shared desire to turn back to God. 

So, it doesn't come as a surprise to me that twice a year, parishioners, specifically in the Catholic faith, here in the United States, we come together in the church, to examine the conscience not only for the sins we've knowingly committed, through thought, word, or deed, but also the moments when the good that was done was without full sincerity.

Similarly, we recall the good that was knowingly left undone, not out of ignorance, but out of selfishness or pride. Of course, including the opportunities given us to do good but we're brushed off to the side. 

Yes, such could be subtle failings, often hidden from others, but in the end weigh just as heavily on the soul.

So, in this time of reflection, hearts are turned toward seeking God's mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where excuses have no room—rather, having the desire to not hold back. Meaning, only honesty and humility, and the willingness to make reparations for the offenses, and make amends to express reverence for God are the only intentions, no matter how challenging it can get.

Challenging in what way?

Well, admitting where we’ve fallen short, calls for not just humility but also courage, and the commitment to turn things around. We know that pride can get in the way. The feeling of embarrassment can be a factor, too, right?

But then, we also are aware that finding our way back to God who’s been calling us home all along so we can live in peace through the act of contrition, at any given moment, but I'd say especially during Lent and advent, and to have that opportunity is at the very top of our to-do list. 

That said, there can be an inner battle going on on some occasions.

The good thing is that, with our conscience aligned to Jesus as the light of the world, we can ask Him to help us accept the invitation to meet Him at the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where He sheds light to things that hurt our relationship with Him, including the stuff we may have already forgotten due to busyness or with time that had lapsed. We do this as it what's brings balance to our spiritual health.

With all that said, here is my little sharing, because though I am aware of all that, occasionally, I find myself at a crossroad—to go or not.

To be honest, I was operating at maybe between 80% and 90% on the willingness spectrum—if I should respond to God’s invitation as my effort felt a little lackluster that night, mostly because I figured I’d be confessing the same sins and shortcomings all over again. Oh, dear!

Believe me, I was sort of frustrated—well, more like more disappointed than anything—with myself for falling into the same patterns where the less-loving moments or version of me takes the lead. Like walking through a revolving door and I hadn't figured out how to exit. So yeah, attending the community penance service felt a bit obligatory.

So yes, part of me went to the community penance service out of habit, part out of duty—and honestly, part just to support my family. I wanted to show that making the effort to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation truly matters. It was the right thing to do. And boy, was I glad I showed up—because God clearly had something waiting for me.

Alright, so on occasions such as this at church, lines are super long. In fact, one visiting priest years ago who was going to hold a retreat for us once joked that there are so many sinners in our parish. Oh, we had a good laugh! 

Okay, so here's the little sharing. Let me start with this brief conversation I had with the parishioner behind me as I waited for my turn. And to explain this well, I should mention—any time I talk with someone, especially with a total stranger, and the topic is about God, something stirs in me. It’s like a spiritual recharge. It pushes me to lean in and deepen my relationship with the Father. 

This parishioner's spirituality really spoke to me—so much so, it made me want to step up my own efforts to love God more intentionally! 

If you’ve read the other articles I’ve posted here, you know I no longer believe in coincidences. That held true again when—out of all the parishioners in attendance—this lovely parishioner happened to be next in line after me. It was all orchestrated by God.

Alright now, so my turn was about to come, and my gaze was on Jesus on the cross. I told Him what I had battled with before heading to church, though I knew He already knew. I told Him it was very important for me to experience Him through whichever priest I was assigned to, as there were nine of them that night to accommodate the huge turnout of parishioners. 

Then, my turn came. I have to say, it was such a beautiful confession! It wasn’t merely a confession because it felt very conversational. I sensed Jesus right there, and because of that, my thoughts flowed so naturally. I poured my heart out. I took full advantage of this heavenly conversation—something I’d do in prayer, but this time, Jesus was speaking to me through the priest.

So there I was sitted next to the priest and talked about the things that concern me that often has led to offending God. It was nothing short of joy! I loved every moment of it. It was something I've always wanted—having a nice discussion with Jesus. 

Jesus, in His overflowing love and mercy, and His desire for me to enjoy the rest of my life, lifted what could be thought of as a 'burden' off my shoulders so I could journey lightly. I was nearly in tears, but to avoid drama, I did my best to control them.

So, from what was initially walking in unsure going into the Sacrament of Reconciliation—I walked out feeling loved and assured of His will for my life. I walked out in peace I didn’t expect.

So, here’s my take: if you ever find yourself in a similar situation—debating whether you should go because it feels more like an obligation than an inspiration, because your heart just isn’t fully in it—I strongly suggest you go. You’ll be glad you did. Consider it a moment where you're being led by the Spirit of God.

Now is your turn to share your stories ingrained with a heavenly touch. Shoot me a message, I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

Many Blessings!