Catechetical Sunday: September 21, 2014
"Teaching About God's Gift of Forgiveness"
God desires to offer forgiveness and does so freely.
The Catholic Church teaches that the world exists today in a broken and sinful state and that all people who are born into this world suffer the effects of this sinfulness. While to some this teaching may seem dark and negative, all people must acknowledge that with honest self-evaluation they find within themselves some tendencies toward selfishness, self-satisfaction, envy and pride that at times lead them to be less that the loving and generous people they at depth wish themselves to be. It is hard at times to be good and do what we already know to be the right thing. This comes on top of the reality that at times we also struggle to know and recognize what the right thing is.
In the face of this reality, God has responded and responded forcefully. By his own free choice God seeks to save the world from this brokenness. The Father has worked this salvation out over time. The Father’s plan for salvation finds its fulfillment in the incarnation of his Word in Jesus Christ, who has become Emmanuel, [which means] "God-with-us."
It is in Jesus Christ that the bonds of sin have finally been broken. Through Jesus Christ, God has given us the gratuitous [not merited by us] gift of his own very life. That is to say, through Jesus Christ God invites people to join in the inner life of the Most Holy Trinity. This is what we call sanctifying grace. The Holy Spirit infuses this gift of sanctifying grace on the souls of those who receive it, that they may be healed of sin and made holy.
This is, to put it mildly, very, very, good news. And this good news is the source of our authentic joy.
We are in need of forgiveness; God desires to offer it, and does so freely.
Reflection Question
What difference might in make in your life as a Christian disciple if you began each day by intentionally recalling for yourself that we are all in need of forgiveness and that God freely offers that gift of forgiveness to each of us?
Scripture to Explore
Gospel of John 3
Additional References
Catechism of the Catholic Church nos. 416, 417, 723, 744, 2003, 2023
United States Catholic Catechism for Adults pp. 84-87, 91-92
Catechetical Framework for Lifelong Faith Formation MA.1.3.29, MA.3.3.10, MA.3.3.42
Resource for Adult Faith Formation
Prepared for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Distributed courtesy of the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership (NCCL)
© Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, 2014
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