A thought about Confession today . . .

S. Cyprian actually finished the passage which was quoted in yesterday’s Office of Readings by saying :

My dear brothers, let all our longing be to join them as soon as we may. May God see our desire, may Christ see this resolve that springs from faith, for he will give the rewards of his love more abundantly to those who have longed for him more fervently.

In other words, we should recognize that this world, and this life, is – however good it may be – still only a short-term, temporary, passage en route to (DV) joining God in His Heaven.

As I’ve already mentioned, it would be good for all of us to make our confessions either today or, at latest, before Mass tomorrow; and I suggest that remembering this fact will ensure that we take a proper view of our conduct through life, and gain the greatest benefit from our self-examination and confession.

Obviously rejoicing in the start of the Church’s New Year is both natural and proper; but let us also recognize that it is virtuous for all of us to acknowledge that every New Year we experience is also evidence that we are closer to our eternal life in Heaven (we hope and pray), and that we should therefore seek to be closer to God and His will now, at the end of this year, than we were at the beginning.