“Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God.
“In this way, the children of God and the children of the devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother. For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another” (1 John 3:7-11 nab).
It seems to me that when the floodgates of mercy burst forth, and we are carried along in humble thanksgiving (an experience I should think is common to all upon the reception of absolution), we are steadied, made steadfast in a seemingly irresistible grip of Jesus made all the stronger by the blood. He doesn’t let go. Then He grabs your heart. And then we cry out: “Domine, non sum dignus!” (Oh Lord, I am not worthy!) And that’s the point. He is our Savior, saving us while we are yet in sin. And then we remain before Him in humble thanksgiving. Pray for vocations. Hail Mary…
