Discipleship Habit #4: Seek Reconciliation Often - Week 22: "Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more"

Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, we praise You, for You are merciful.  You died on the cross for our sins and rose to restore us to fullness of life in You.  Forgive us for the times we’ve turned away from You and others and did not earnestly seek You.  In Your Scripture You tell us, “the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14b)  Thank You for giving us Your mercy and healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Help us to know that You long to shower us with Your mercy.  Give us the courage to face that which alienates us from You and allow You to tear down the walls that separate us from You.  Help us to seek You often in Your Sacrament of Mercy.  Jesus, we trust in You.  We make this prayer in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
AMEN
 
 

 
Reflection on Mercy:  Insights from Pope Francis
It is not easy to entrust oneself to God's mercy, because it is an abyss beyond our comprehension.  But we must! ... "Oh, I am a great sinner!"  "All the better!  Go to Jesus:  He likes you to tell Him these things!"  He forgets, He has a very special capacity for forgetting.  He forgets, He kisses you, He embraces you and He simply says to you:  "Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more" (Jn 8:11).
— Homily on March 17, 2013
 
Jesus' attitude is striking:  we do not hear the words of scorn, we do not hear words of condemnation, but only words of love, of mercy, which are an invitation to conversation.  "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."  Ah!  Brothers and Sisters, God's face is the face of a merciful Father Who is always patient.  Have you thought about God's patience, the patience He has with each one of us?  That is His mercy.  He always has patience, patience with us, He understands us, He waits for us, He does not tire of forgiving us if we are able to return to Him with a contrite heart.  "Great is God's mercy," says the Psalm.
                                                                           — Angelus on March 17, 2013
 
 
Spend a few minutes reflecting on Pope Francis’ words.  What thoughts or feelings emerge?
 
 
Read the quotes aloud slowly.  What word or phrases stand out for you?  Spend a few minutes quietly reflecting on that.
 
 
Read the quotes aloud slowly again.  Notice how your body is responding.  Share with God what you are experiencing.

 
Reflections on Sin
 
Below are two reflections on the topic of sin by different theologians.  Choose one or both and, after reading and reflecting on the passage, spend time talking with God.
 
 
“[We] may understand sin as whatever lessens humanity, decreases the capacity to love, or gets in the way of developing [our] potential as an image of God.  Sin ultimately goes against [our] own being, for its roots are relational.  Thus, sin includes both individual and social responsibility.”
                              Dyckman, Garvin, and Liebert in The Spiritual Exercises Reclaimed
 
 
How true do these words resonate with your own life experience? 
 
 
Where is your humanity lessened? 
 
 
Your capacity to love diminished? 
 
 
Your potential as an image of God marred?
 
 
“I propose…that sin originates in a lack of sufficient believable unconditional love…
The way out of sin is to see through the falsehood, to be really convinced that someone else is sustaining you, that you don’t have to sustain yourself, that you are already given more affirmation, nurturance, respect, love, life, joy than you can even imagine desiring.  If you can really believe that someone else is sustaining you, then all the self-defense operations which result in sins are going to evaporate, because they are no longer needed.”
                                                                                          Beatrice Bruteau in Radical Optimism
 
 
How do these words resonate with your own life experience? 
 
 
In what ways do you believe the falsehood that you are not unconditionally loved?

           

Closing Prayer
“Come As You Are” – Crowder, from the album “Neon Steeple”
 
Come out of sadness from wherever you've been
Come broken hearted let rescue begin
Come find your mercy
Oh sinner, come kneel
Earth has no sorrow
That Heaven can't heal

Refrain
So, lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer, come home
You're not too far
So, lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are

There's hope for the hopeless
And all those who've strayed
Come sit at the table
Come taste the grace
There's rest for the weary
Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow
That Heaven can't cure
 
Refrain
Come as you are
Fall in His arms
Come as you are
There's joy for the morning
Oh sinner, be still
Earth has no sorrow
That Heaven can't heal

Refrain