Power Washed By The Blood Of The Lamb

As I stood in the confessional line, I asked the Blessed Mother Mary, St. Joseph, St. Padre Pio and St Faustina Kowalska to help me open wide my heart to reveal the sins that held me in bondage. I asked for honesty and humility. As I prayed silently, feeling the weight of my sins upon my soul, the Lord began to open my heart to his mercy and forgiveness. When I entered the confessional, I was ready to unburden my soul. For my penance, the priest encouraged me to spend some quiet time before the Blessed Sacrament every day. I knew this was the answer to rising above my stressful situation at work. My work environment and my workload have become overwhelming stressful. I said and did somethings at work that was inappropriate behavior. As the priest gave me absolution, I felt God's forgiveness and mercy in my heart. I also knew that I needed to go to my boss and ask for her forgiveness. It is important I build bridges of understanding instead of driving a deep wedge in our working relationship. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church-1469: "Sin damages or even breaks fraternal communion. The sacrament of Penance repairs or restores it." I am so grateful for confession. There are graces upon graces that flow out from the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is a sacrament of mercy. It is a sacrament of love. It is a sacrament of healing. "The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God's grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship."-Catechism of the Catholic Church-1468. Frequent confession helps to open my heart to embrace God's goodness. It clears away the guilt and the shame, so that I can begin to see the goodness inside myself and the goodness inside of others. I have found in my own life that frequent confession is essential in chipping away little by little those annoying habitual sins that keep me from growing closer to Jesus. It is the grace of the sacrament that assists the sinner in overcoming sin and the temptation to sin. Jesus told St. Faustina Kowalska, "Every time you go to confession, immerse yourself entirely in My mercy, with great trust, so that I may pour the bounty of grace upon your soul. When you approach the confessional, know this, that I myself am waiting for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy."--Divine Mercy in my soul Diary-St. Faustina Kowalska-1602. Jesus instituted this powerful sacrament of mercy so He can seek, find, forgive and carry to safety His precious little lambs that are caught in the brambles of their own sins. After spending some quiet time in front of the Blessed Sacrament, I left the Church feeling clean and refreshed. On my way home I pulled into a car wash to power wash my very dirty car. As I was washing my muddy car, I thought to myself that like my car, the Lord has washed me clean by the power of this beautiful sacrament. I also realized that my car will eventually get muddy and dirty again. It will need to be power washed again to remove the built up grim and dirt. I, like my car, will also again need to be power washed by the Blood of the Lamb through His Sacrament of Reconciliation. "The Lord is kind and merciful. He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills, He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion."- Psalm 103.