Second Sunday of Lent: Sin Is Real — And So Is Mercy
Last Sunday we entered the desert with Christ. We spoke about conversion — about turning back to the Lord with intention. But conversion requires honesty. And honesty requires that we speak clearly about sin.
In every age there is a temptation to soften sin, to rename it, to excuse it, or to pretend it does not really wound us. Yet Sacred Scripture, from beginning to end, is clear: sin separates us from God
Sin is not merely a mistake.
It is not simply weakness.
It is not “being imperfect.”
Sin is choosing our will over God’s will.
The Church, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, teaches that mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law, while venial sin wounds it. These distinctions are not meant to frighten us — they are meant to clarify reality. If we do not understand the seriousness of sin, we will never understand the greatness of mercy.
The Transfiguration, which we hear on this Sunday of Lent, gives us a glimpse of Christ’s glory. His face shines like the sun. The disciples fall to the ground in awe. Why does the Church place this Gospel here? Because we must remember who we are turning back to.
We do not confess our sins to an idea. We do not repent before a vague force. We turn back to the Son of God — radiant in glory, yet willing to go to the Cross for us. Mercy only makes sense if sin is real. And mercy is real.
God does not minimize our sin. He forgives it. He does not pretend evil does not matter. He enters into our brokenness and heals it at the cost of His own Blood. This is why the Sacrament of Confession is so central to Lent.
Confession is not humiliation. It is liberation. It is the place where the desert begins to bloom. When we name our sins honestly and receive absolution, something supernatural happens. The soul is restored. Grace is poured out. The burden lifts. Many Catholics carry guilt for years. Others avoid confession out of fear or embarrassment. But listen carefully: there is no sin stronger than the mercy of Christ. The only tragedy is refusing it.
Lent is the season for courage — the courage to examine our conscience seriously, to acknowledge patterns of sin, to break habits that are leading us away from holiness.
This week, ask yourself:
Where have I grown comfortable with sin?
What have I justified that I once would have resisted?
When was my last honest confession?
Do not be afraid of clarity. Clarity is a gift.
Because when we see the truth about our sin, we also begin to see the depth of God’s mercy.
Sin is real.
But mercy is greater.
And the One who shines in glory on the mountain is the same One who waits for us in the confessional.
In Christ,
Fr. Joe Connelly