To bring healing, get to roots of sins

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson writes, in this week's St. Louis Review, of the necessary steps to bring about healing in our own lives. Throughout Lent, Archbishop Carlson has given many ways for Catholics to rededicate their lives for Christ. You can read more of the Archbishop's columns on the St. Louis Review website.

By reason of her essential mission, the Church feels an obligation to go to the roots of that original wound of sin in order to bring healing (Pope John Paul II, "Reconciliation and Penance," 4).

Last week I wrote about the soul-sickness that afflicts us all. I also described the cure that the Church offers us -- the Sacrament of Penance. Finally, I invited every Catholic in the Archdiocese of St. Louis to make this Lent a time of spiritual healing, especially by making a good Confession.

In order to make a good Confession, we need to admit our sinfulness, to resolve to sin no more and to do penance. This requires us to distinguish between the sinful actions that we commit and the attitudes of mind and heart behind our actions; to recognize the difference between the deeds that harm our relationship with God, others and self and the thoughts, emotions and attitudes that motivate our deeds. In a really good Confession, we distinguish between our sins and our sinfulness, and then bring both into the Sacrament of Penance to ask God's forgiveness.

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