When I was 16, my older brother and I borrowed our dad’s Chevy Impala to attend Mass on a fall Sunday morning. However, instead of going to church, we drove past it and pulled into a parking lot so I could practice driving for my Ohio driver’s license test. That afternoon, when our father asked about the service, we lied to satisfy his curiosity.
Looking back, I carried guilt for years about that moment. Yet, as 1 John 5:16 reminds us, “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life.” Not all sins are deadly, and God’s grace is always available to those who seek it. One of the great gifts of our faith is the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where we can bring our sins to God and receive His forgiveness.
John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ by calling people to repentance, and through baptism, we receive a new life. Over the years, I’ve learned to bring my sins, whether small or burdensome, to God in prayer and, at times, to our priests in confession. As Father Peter Julian Eymard taught, the Eucharist reveals God’s love, which transcends sin and invites us into a deeper relationship with Christ. His teachings remind us not to dwell on guilt but to embrace God’s joy and tenderness.
Now, over seventy years old, I can’t go back to apologize to my dad or make up for missed Masses. But I can follow the example of Saint John and Saint Eymard: ask for forgiveness, strive to do better, and live in the joy of the Eucharist. “The Lord takes delight in His people” (Psalm 149.4), and through His grace, we are truly blessed.
May you live in Eucharistic joy, Happy New Year!
Let Us Pray:
Lord, Jesus, Son of the Living God, I ask for forgiveness, strength to resist temptation, and help to turn away from harmful behaviors. Please allow me to embrace the teaching of Saint Eymard, who teaches that “turning from sin involves a deep reliance on Jesus in the Eucharist, confession, prayer, and adoration as a way to receive strength, forgiveness, and a renewed focus on God’s love, rather than dwelling on failings”.
