General. The sacrament of Reconciliation is considered by the Fathers of the Church as a second Baptism. It is receiving God’s grace once again, after having departed from His Will and repenting our ways. The Confiteor recited at the beginning of the Eucharist is prayer beseeching God’s pardon for venial sins – mortal ones necessarily have to be confessed – so that we can reconcile ourselves with God and make ourselves worthy of such a great feast and banquet as the Eucharist.

Book of Sirach. The writer expounds great wisdom about the hate which grows in the mind and which gives rise to many deleterious consequences, mainly the ramifications coming out of the fifth commandment – you shall not kill. Forgiveness is most essential for peaceful living and anger should be kept at arm’s length from anyone wanting to live a virtuous life. Sins of any kind, including those against the sixth commandment, are very much begotten from anger, anger from hate, and hate from pride (the self, egoism) which is the root of the seven deadly (capital) sins.

Epistle to the Romans. St Paul introduces here his Christ-centered theology. Anything that happens in the world universally and individually, such as life and death, has now only one purpose – Jesus the universal and individual saviour of anyone who believes in him and is baptized in his name. If physical death means everlasting life to the Christian, then it is up to the Christian to practise the virtues of life and not to hate, quarrel or in any other manner ‘kill’ his neighbour.

St Matthew. God’s mercy is infinite. God forgives, seeing our repentance no matter how often and how many times we sin. The same way God expects us, even in our human frailty, to forgive others out of that same mercy which comes from the love within us, especially for our neighbours. We are expected to have this love within us after having received our Baptism. To be merciful as the Father is merciful to us, fosters great happiness in us individually and in all those around us.

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