14 February 2021
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The account of the miracle described in today’s Gospel is one of the first miracles Jesus worked. What is striking is His attitude toward the leper, as the poor man knelt before Him. He was “moved with pity.” His human heart reflected the divine heart of God before one who suffers. In reading the account of Jesus’ life in all the Gospels, we see that He shows such compassion to all who called upon Him, right up to his dialogue with the Good Thief on the cross.
This means I can go to Him with confidence, no matter what sufferings I have; what evil I have done, of what healing I need. And then He asks me to express my thanks and often to show myself to “the priest”. He shows me particularly where His compassion can be found: the confessional.
Today, Penance is the least appreciated, most neglected sacrament of all. Long lines before the confessional on Saturday afternoons are as rare as ice boxes and dial telephones. But Penance is the sacrament where Jesus’ compassion is most manifested, where He is most “moved with pity”. Should I go to confession more often? What can I do to make the confessional better appreciated, especially among the young?