Sacrament of Reconciliation & Anointing of the Sick-

Insightful words from all as always!

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the most powerful and convicting  sacraments to me and my  spirit.  As I was reading, I found Vorgrimler's forms of forgiveness to revive the dimensions of human life, including mine!  ( Walter also stated these forms)  These forms of forgiveness are of primary  importance.  Matthew 5:23-24 speaks of reconciliation as a PRECONDITION within us for God's EFFECTIVE forgiveness.  Being conscious of this precondition... How can we ask for TRUE forgiveness and approach the Heavenly Father with a "clean and pure heart" if we harbor ill feelings toward a brother?  I along with many others have faced several heart wrenching situations.  It was not until the past five years that I realized being able to truly forgive was not an easy thing to do, but was vital in Christ.  With much prayer and supplication, God helped me to truly forgive and to draw nigh unto Him and the GRACE of God like never before.  I believe that it is within our pain and suffering that allows us to know God's divine grace and forgiveness in a way that transforms our thinking and our hearts forever.  One that allows us to forgive others without hesitation and with a clarity and effectiveness of God's forgiving word.  Vorgrimler states, "If it is true repentance, it also involves an inward longing for the sacrament" (210).  It was not until my life was "shaken" these past five years that I gained a true understanding of the sacrament of Reconciliation.  "For Christian believers this tangible place of divine forgiveness and reconciliation is called Jesus Christ" (Vorgrimler, 201). 

"Reconciliation begins with ourselves.  It begins with a pure heart, a heart that is able to see God in others." Mother Teresa

These sacraments are expressions of the church's life and are symbolic actions to the effectiveness of divine forgiveness.  This is predicated in a special way by Vorgrimler's view of the sacrament of anointing the sick.  "In the sacrament of anointing the sick the symbolic action unites the petition of the Church community that the sick person be strengthened in face of serious illness with a petition that his or her sins may be forgiven" (Vorgrimler, 205).  My church back home believes in anointing the sick by the laying on of hands and anointing of oil... on EVERYTHING!  :)  If I had the smallest sinus infection, my pastor would anoint me with oil in passing.  I would be thinking... "Seriously... Oh my goodness... Jesus has much bigger healings to respond to than my tiny stopped up nose!"  (I am not being disrespectful at all, it just makes me smile when I think about it!)
Although, the quote below reminds us that we serve a mindful and healing God no matter how big or small our situations are.
"The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick presupposes that the situation is NOT concealed, but rather is brought to consciousness and thus placed in the presence of the loving and merciful God" (Vorgrimler, 235).  Is this quote not powerful???  This is a reminder to us as believers that once our situation has been brought to Him, we can do nothing, but TRUST and have FAITH in the one and only loving and merciful God!!  It is within the sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick that we can experience Christ in a more powerful, pure, humbling, faith-driven, and deeper way!