God Eagerly Awaits Your Return

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love"

— Psalm 103:8 (NRSV)

Our sins separate us from being in right relationship with God (cf. Isaiah 59:2). ¹ Although our sinful acts can weaken, harm, and even sever our relationship with God, nevertheless, God is always ready to reconcile with us, forgive us, and restore us into right relationship as a child of God (cf. Isaiah 55:7; Psalm 86:5; Romans 6:23; John 1:12; Galatians 3:26; 1 John 1:9). Unfortunately, too often people commit sins for which they erroneously believe there can be no forgiveness from God. They abandon or refuse to trust and hope in God's unconditional love and mercy. ²

Fortunately, although we may abandon God, God never abandons us. As the parable of the "Lost Son" or "Prodigal Son" — perhaps better called the "Parable of the Loving Father" — exemplifies, God waits with love and open arms for any sinner to return to God's unconditional, loving embrace. (See Luke 15:11–32; cf. Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:4-7). Scripture teaches, however, that God's forgiveness depends on the extent that we forgive those who sin against us (cf. Matthew 6:12, 14-15; 18:21-35; Luke 6:37; 11:4; Mark 11:25).

God offers us forgiveness of our sins through the Sacrament of Confession and Reconciliation that will restore us into right relationship with God and with God's Church (cf. John 20:23). Forgiveness begins with having faith and hope in God's unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness through the saving, sacrifical life and death of Jesus Christ who atoned for our sins. Through contrition we are sorrowful and repentant for having committed our sins and offending God; we sincerely and freely acknowledge and confess our sins to God; we have and express a firm intention and determination to avoid sin and turn away from evil and return to God; and we willingly perform the needed penance that helps us to begin to make satisfaction for our sins and to strive to repair damages caused by our sins.

No matter what you have done, God stands ready to forgive you of your sins. The only barrier to receiving God's mercy and forgiveness is you. ³

1 The term "sin" has been defined in many ways, such as "the refusal to love" ( See John 13:31-35). According to the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, (Washington: USCCB, 2006) 528, "sin" is defined as

an offense against God as well as against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as "an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to eternal law" (CCC, no. 1849).

2 A person's refusal to acknowledge and accept God's unconditional love, mercy, and power to forgive sins could be deemed to be "blasphemes against the holy Spirit" and declared to be the only "unforgivable sin" (cf. Mark 3:28-29; Matthew 12:31-32; Luke 12:10). As some scholars have observed,

There is a distinction between the penalty for our sins which separates us from God, which have already been redeemed and paid for by Christ's life, suffering and death. One has only to accept Christ to be completely free and clean of those sins. But the refusal to accept Christ and his sacrifice seams to be a sin of a different order all together. This sin repudiates God's provision for sin and so decisively separates one from God and his salvation.

J.P. Moreland and William Lane Craig, Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press),1288. Of course, we must continue to remember that salvation comes from God's grace alone, and that nothing is impossible for God (cf. Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37).

3 Additional information and resources regarding the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation can be found on this site here.