Sunday, April 6, 2025
Untie Him and Let Him Go
The raising of Lazarus is recounted for us in the eleventh chapter of the Gospel according to John. Jesus wept over the death of his friend Lazarus. Jesus not only weeps for us when we sin, but he suffers for our salvation. Saint Ambrose said there are two conversions in the Church, “there are water and tears: the water of baptism and the tears of repentance.” When we sin, when our conscience is no longer clear, we have recourse to God’s mercy through the sacraments to receive both forgiveness and reconciliation. We are not reborn by being baptized again, but by sorrow, tears for our sins and a firm intention to avoid them in the future, that is through the tears of repentance, and sacramental absolution, we return to our baptismal purity.
Join us for a celebration of God’s mercy this Wednesday, April 9th, at 7:00 p.m. There will be many confessors here for our Parish Penance Service. Jesus is a friend to us all, like Lazarus, and he wants to untie and free us with his loving forgiveness.
In Christ,
Rev. Robert P. Capone
