He Waits

This coming February 22 will be Ash Wednesday, the auspicious start of our Lenten season. These coming days should beckon us to see the Lord’s smile through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Last year, our youngest son Aim was born on May 15th.
I was there ( I would not miss it for the world ) but due to my limited holiday leave, I had to go back to China.
So after four months when I came home again to fetch them, I was apprehensive that Aim would not be comfortable in my presence to even let me carry him. My wife’s often repeated stories of how he cried whenever an unfamiliar person comes near him to play or even greet him, was compounding my worries.

But lo and behold, the moment our baby saw me, he gave me that sweetest smile and he readily welcomed my embrace and kisses. My distance and long absence did not alienate me from my son. It was as if I was gone for just a few minutes and he was waiting in anticipation.

Yes, this is one of the rewards and perks of fatherhood!

We all know that at some point in our lives, we have lived far from our Heavenly Father.
Whether it was pride or the feeling of unworthiness has led us to be on that state, we drifted ay from his presence.
By the time we realized and admit to our faults, we somehow lost the confidence to believe that we are still forgivable, that we are still very much lovable.

So here’s the good news for us, repentant sinners.

God loves us endlessly, enormously, unconditionally and sweetly that if we come back to Him anytime with a humble and contrite heart, not a single iota of our past sins can alienate His divine mercy which He faithfully gives to each one of us. He readily welcomes us with His own embrace and kiss. His forgiveness permeate into our soul and whole being, resulting to us being able to feel His innermost presence called God’s peace.

Yes, this is the saving grace and blessings of being God’s children!
Praise God for His love and mercy!

Psalm 136:1 "Praise the LORD for he is good; for his mercy endures forever."


Cathechism of the Catholic Church about the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

CCC 1468 - "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." Reconciliation with God is thus the purpose and effect of this sacrament. For those who receive the sacrament of Penance with contrite heart and religious disposition, reconciliation "is usually followed by peace and serenity of conscience with strong spiritual consolation." Indeed the sacrament of Reconciliation with God brings about a true "spiritual resurrection," restoration of the dignity and blessings of the life of the children of God, of which the most precious is friendship with God.

CCC 1469 -This sacrament reconciles us with the Church. Sin damages or even breaks fraternal communion. The sacrament of Penance repairs or restores it. In this sense it does not simply heal the one restored to ecclesial communion, but has also a revitalizing effect on the life of the Church which suffered from the sin of one of her members. Re-established or strengthened in the communion of saints, the sinner is made stronger by the exchange of spiritual goods among all the living members of the Body of Christ, whether still on pilgrimage or already in the heavenly homeland.