Jesus heals our conscience.

No person can justify himself if he darkens his conscience with sin and personal guilt. We cannot stand before the mirror of the soul and say to ourselves, “I forgive myself.” This strategy does not work. And even if someone wants to cleanse his inner self in this way—and there are methods of such cleansing even today—he is deceiving himself. Conscience cannot be deceived. It can be dulled by lies, self-justification, and excuses for external conditions, which force us to act. However, we cannot fool ourselves. Even if we partially succeed, conscience will rise at the worst time and manifest as various fears, anxieties, concerns, and physical and mental issues.

Jesus understands that the soul’s disease, which is our separation from the source of life—God—is far worse than any physical illness or pain. Therefore, with love, from the depths of his merciful will, he first says to the person with paralysis, ‘Your sins are forgiven you’. This real intervention in the conscience of man contains a compelling justification. It is, in fact, a decision of the authority that shapes our conscience and to which we are accountable. This forgiveness of Christ is healing and creates light at the core of our existence when the source of our being is healed. And this light then illuminates all the spaces, levels, and spheres of human existence. God’s forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation is the proper foundation of our physical and psychological healing, even if emotional deposits remain within us that can sometimes prevent us from experiencing the perfect joy of Jesus’ mercy.

Lord Jesus, eternal Mercy of the Father, come with your grace, give us the gift of overcoming all unnecessary fears of confessing our sins in the sacrament of reconciliation. In this sacrament, you want to touch us and heal us with the power of your love, which was revealed on the cross. Come, Lord, and make your home in us. Be the guardian of the purity of our conscience. Amen.