The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 391given them, and whose sins ye shall retain, theyare retained." lThat peace which I give to you, you will impartto repentant souls, as a pledge of their reconciliationwith God. The absolving power I have from MyFather, the same I communicate to you. Receivethe Holy Ghost, that you may impart this HolySpirit to souls possessed by the spirit of evil. Iftheir sins are as red as scarlet, they shall be madeas white as wool." If they are as numerous as thesands on the sea-shore, they shall be blotted out,provided they come to you with contrite hearts.The sentence of mercy which you shall pronounceon earth, I will ratifyin heaven. From thesewords of St. John I draw three important conclusions :It follows, first, that the forgiving power was notrestricted to the Apostles, but extended to theirsuccessors in the ministry, unto all times and places.The forgiveness of sin was to continue while sinlasted in the world ;and as sin, alas will !alwaysbe in the world, so will the remedy for sin be alwaysin the Church. The medicine will co-exist with thedisease. The power which our Lord gave theApostles to preach, to baptize,to confirm, to ordain,etc., was transmitted by them to their successors.Why not also the power which they had received toforgive sins, since man s greatest need is his reconciliation with God by the forgiveness of his offences?SlJohn xx. 21-23.