”Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested”……We need to get back to First Principles!

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading from a Letter to the Hebrews what the mission of Jesus Christ is all about…..He came and walked among us to “expiate the sins of his people”….This is why God the Father sent his son to us - Period Full Stop!…To forgive our sins…..One would think before we can be forgiven, one has to feel the need to be forgiven…I guess the question today is…Do we?…Do we believe we need a means for our sins to be forgiven?…We are all sinners - right?…No one is perfect - right?…So based upon that reality, Jesus is the guy to help us - right?…..When one does something wrong, say to his brother…The first step is to acknowledge the mistake and then say the words, “I am sorry”…..That simple sentence…”Forgive me, I am sorry” is truly one of the most powerful sentences ever said…Yet, mankind does not want to say it…..The first reading goes on today and says…..”Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested”…In order to learn, we first have to admit we made a mistake and then we have to go to the one who can forgive us…This is why our world is “sick” - Its in desperate need of a Physician - And Jesus is that “Divine Physician” - And the Catholic Church is the “hospital”…….This is why Jesus walked among us - Period Full Stop!….One Sacramental Confession can erase a life time of sin…Think about that for a minute

“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord. I know them, and they follow me”

What is stopping you from going to a Sacramental Confession?…Do you believe it is not necessary?…Do you question the authority of the Church in its ability to forgive the sins of men?…Do you think it won't help?.......Sadly, I can not convince you to go…I wish I could….But I will say this, if you did “give it a try”…I bet your life would change……I bet you would feel a deep peace you have not felt since you were a child......There is great power in making a good Sacramental Confession……I remember when I came back from college and made my first “adult confession”…..It was a first and big step for me in becoming the person I am today……..Everything in my life did not change on that day…But it was a “first step”…And one step leads to the next step…That is how God works…..God does not “throw us into the deep end of the pool”….He guides us one step at a time……Both John the Baptist and Jesus himself told us very clearly what we must do to follow the will of God…So here it is - Plain and simple: “Repent and Believe in the Gospel”…First - Repent…Second - Believe….Not my words, so don’t shoot the messenger…….We are looking for a “sanitized Christianity”…..We are looking for Easter Sunday without Good Friday…..There is no such thing as “cheap grace”……At Sunday Masses all around America, the Holy Communion lines are long, but how about the lines to Confession?…..Confession has been relegated to 30 minutes on a Saturday?…How are we to grow in virtue and receive Our Lord properly on Sunday by neglecting this fundamental aspect of our faith, by going to a Sacramental Confession regularly…..Catholics need to start focusing again in First Principles…It really is not “rocket science”…Daily Rosary, Sacramental Confession once a month, and Holy Mass on Sunday….I will tell you this…If you do those three things…You will not be perfect, you will still sin (Trust me, I am speaking from experience) but you will be “on the road to heaven”…..It’s so simple!….I think we take for granted "thinking" that no matter what we do, we go to heaven…I got news for you, Jesus never said that…Nor did the Catholic Church ever teach that…..Once again, we need to get back to First Principles!

“He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up……Then the fever left her”

We are reminded today in the first reading from Holy Mass why Jesus walked this earth…To forgive sins…I think all of us who read this reflection today will admit that they are not perfect…And because of that reality, we need a means to “perfect ourselves”…That “means” is found in the Sacraments of the Catholic Church….We make all kinds of excuses….We point to the flaws of the men in the Catholic Church…In the meantime we neglect our own need to grow in grace…Don’t let anyone steal from you, what God himself gave to you……Jesus gave us a “means” to be forgiven…And we all need to be forgiven - Take advantage of this great gift!…..”Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested”……We need to get back to First Principles!