repentance and forgiveness

Thursday, April 16, 2009
Thursday in the Octave of Easter (Divine Mercy Novena Day 7)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Acts 3:11-26 Psalm 8:2, 5-9 Luke 24:35-48

Luke 24:47  and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

What is the Gospel that is preached today?  It seems to me that we tend to fall on one side or the other.  There are churches that focus on repentance, or  more precisely, holiness.  Then there are a great number of churches that focus on forgiveness, or more precisely acceptance.

The thing is these two go together.  One is of no value without the other.  Repentance does us no good without forgiveness and forgiveness without repentance is just indulgence.  There needs to be both together.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to remember that I need to forgive and repent and that I need to trust in your forgiveness to strengthen my repentance.

Amen