All parishes. All priests. All day. That's tomorrow, March 18th, our second Day of Confessions in the Archdiocese of Edmonton. I have included in this blog post the video presentation prepared to invite you to receive the gift of peace that comes from firmly deciding to amend one's life, confessing one's sins and receiving God's pardon through the Sacrament of Penance.
As you prepare, consider the question that is posed by the Gospel for Sunday. Recounted for us was the event of the Transfiguration. As the voice of our heavenly Father confirmed the identity of Jesus as his well-beloved Son, he commanded the apostles (and us): "Listen to him." This raises the question, "Who am I listening to?" In other words, what are the various voices/messages that are exercising an influence upon my life. The voices are many. Just think of everything that comes at us through television, radio, Internet, tweets, emails, Facebook messages and so on. To whom are we listening? As we do, ask yourself if those voices lead you away from fidelity to Jesus or toward greater closeness to him. If we have been allowing the words or ideas or actions of others to turn us away from the Gospel, it is time to turn away from them! Bring this to confession, and seek the grace to change, to listen first to the voice of Jesus, and to receive a discerning mind and heart that allows us to judge all things in the light of his teaching.
Tomorrow will be a blessed day for the Archdiocese. I hope you will share in it.
Day of Confessions 2014 from Archdiocese of Edmonton on Vimeo.
