What Is Reconciliation All About?

"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray to you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

II Corinthians 5:18-20

Now that we are into the Lenten season, we reflect on Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. God gave His only son so we can be forgiven. He recognized the frailty of human nature because He loves us. Jesus was a human being who suffered just as we do.

So what is reconciliation? Often we think of the Sacrament of Penance at the Catholic church, dramatized in countless movies over the years. Catholic reconciliation involves conversion, confession and celebration. A Catholic confesses their sins to a priest who offers a judgment to deliver the person from guilt and sin so they are reconciled with God.

What is reconciliation in a broader sense as a Christian? I turned to Webster to explore the meanings of reconciliation.

1. To restore to friendship or harmony. Jesus wants to be our friend as well as a spiritual guide to righteousness. He loves us and asks us to give our woes to Him. Our faith in Him gives us harmony with the world around us even during tumultuous times. When we are lonely, we are never alone with Jesus.

2. To make consistent or congruous. Jesus asks us to be consistent in our faith. He wants us to live by his Word everyday and turn to Him for our needs. Sometimes we only remember Him when the going gets tough. He wants us to pray consistently to maintain that spiritual connection.

3. To cause to submit or or accept something unpleasant. In His infinite wisdom, we will be confronted with hardships as well as happy times. We must endure through these difficult times and accept our circumstances. When we submit to His will, the path becomes clearer for us.

4. To check against another for accuracy; to account for. Catholics "check against" a priest to determine their accuracy and account for their sins. Jesus is there for all of us whenever we need him. While it helps many to go to a formal confession, He is there for you right now to confess your sins to Him. Share your doubts with Jesus, follow His word and He will guide you in the right direction to achieve reconciliation.

Reconciliation involves faith and humility. We need to believe in His grace and forgiveness. We also have to be honest with ourselves about our sins. If we don't take time to identify our shortcomings, it becomes impossible to achieve reconciliation. We wind up on a "roller coaster" that is hard to get off. Identifying our sins helps us to stop them and become better people.

I found my greatest fault is berating myself for my sins. Once I recognize them, I feel bad about them. There was a time I wondered if He would ever forgive me. I turned to Him with all my heart. He made His love and forgiveness clear to me by giving me new opportunities and perspectives. I learned I had to let go of my sins to Him and let in His healing grace. I discovered that felt much better than "beating myself up" over the things I did and did not do. By giving them to Him, I was free and would never make those mistakes again. I also learned if I do you can go to Him, pick yourself up and start all over again in the right direction.

Once we experience the incredibly healing joy of His forgiveness, we are called upon to be ambassadors for Christ. He wants us to spread the word to everyone about our experiences and the freedom of reconciliation. When we tell others, they can turn to Him to find the healing they need and then there will be more ambassadors for Him.

Are you overwhelmed by your own sins or behaviors? Have you made mistakes that make you feel far from His grace? Did you turn to Him and find the reconciliation and new start you needed? Jesus came for the sinners so we can find our way to salvation. Please feel free to comment or share your posts about it at Gathering 4 Jesus.

Have a beautiful, blessed day!