My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

The late Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago, once said, “Our society permits everything, but forgives nothing.” There is great irony in this statement in that society often criticizes the church for saying that certain actions are sinful and not morally permitted, yet, unlike society, the church is willing to forgive everything through God’s grace.

This Year of Mercy that just began this past Dec. 8 is an opportunity for us to have a renewed encounter with God’s love for us, an encounter which awakens us to our constant need for conversion, casting off those burdens which slow us down on that journey leading to eternal life. This prospect of undergoing a life-altering change due to our encounter with God’s mercy should stir in our hearts a feeling of excitement and hope. We might ask how we should live this Year of Mercy in order to draw from the rich blessings that flow so abundantly from “God’s merciful heart made accessible through the open side of Christ on the cross” (cf. Jn 19:34).

The first step is to ensure that our hearts are prepared to receive this gift of mercy. While his mercy is indeed powerful, he will not force it upon us. We have to be willing to accept that mercy by first of all recognizing that we are in need of mercy, that we are all sinners. Admitting that we are sinners makes us aware of our need for mercy in order to remedy the illness caused by our sin. The church, in her motherly tenderness for her children, offers us that assistance in a most extraordinary way in the sacraments. In a particular way during this Year of Mercy, we are encouraged to rediscover the powerful gift of healing that is made available to us through the sacrament of reconciliation.

A key symbol of the Jubilee Year of Mercy is the Holy Door designated in each cathedral of every diocese around the world. The faithful may receive a plenary indulgence when they pass through the Holy Door under the usual conditions for obtaining an indulgence, that is, reception of sacramental confession and holy Communion, prayers for the Holy Father, and renunciation of all attachment to sin. Walking through the Holy Door should not be understood as some sort of magic or superstition. Going through the Holy Door should be understood as a symbol of passing from sin to grace, that is, we leave behind a sinful way of life in order to enter into the richness of God’s mercy and love. We should have that in mind each time we walk through the Holy Door.

Those for whom, for various reasons, it will be impossible to enter the Holy Door, particularly the sick and people who are elderly and alone, often confined to the home, can obtain the Jubilee Indulgence by living with faith and joyful hope this moment of trial, receiving Communion or attending Holy Mass and community prayer, even through the various means of communication. Prisoners may obtain the indulgence in the chapels of the prisons.

It is not a mere coincidence that the Holy Door of our cathedral in Springfield is located right next to the primary place where confessions are heard each day in this church. The Holy Door reminds us that the privileged place to encounter mercy is in this great sacrament of renewal, reconciling us to God and one another through a power that only Christ can exercise. Yet, so many people stay away from this sacrament. One of the reasons for doing so is that so many people are convinced that they do not have any sin. Even when that lie has been exposed, people still avoid this sacrament due to a variety of fears that they harbor in their hearts.

During this Year of Mercy, I invite you to implore God’s grace to overcome your fears and make frequent use of this sacrament of love and mercy. Maybe it has been several years since you last came to confession. As Jesus said so often in the Gospels: “Do not be afraid!” (Matthew 14:27). The Lord rejoices to grant you forgiveness. Maybe you are in the habit of going to confession only during Advent and Lent. This could be a wonderful opportunity to approach the sacrament with greater regularity and see how doing so can make a profound impact on your spiritual life. Countless numbers of the faithful throughout the history of the church have experienced a remarkable change in their lives thanks to a personal rediscovery of the power of this great sacrament. The church is inviting each of us to that rediscovery in our own way. We have absolutely nothing to lose, but everything to gain!

May God give us this grace. Amen.