The Rite to be Righted

What is it about the Sacrament of Reconciliation that makes it so distasteful to so many? Not hard to answer, right? Facing ourselves, calling ourselves out on certain (lots of) things? Only a sadist would enjoy that. And yet here’s a quote which I stumbled upon from Lee Iacocca, former CEO of Chrysler Corporation, talking about this very sacrament:

In my teens I began to appreciate the importance of the most misunderstood rite in the Catholic Church. I not only had to think out my transgressions against my friends; I had to speak them aloud…The necessity of weighing right from wrong on a regular basis turned out to be the best therapy I ever had.

And so Iacocca correctly names two important aspects of the sacrament: thinking through my life, recognizing the failures/misdeeds, and naming them out loud to another. I often think about the craziest things in the middle of the night - have you been there? Your whole world seems to be falling apart in the darkness and murkiness of half-sleep. But up comes the light of day and the relating of the misguided adventures of the night to my spouse (or someone), and reality seems not nearly so fearsome. Perspective and balance are gained; guidance is offered. This sacrament operates in something of that same mode, but that and more, oh so much more, because we are praying to the Almighty, and we are being guided and mentored by grace. I don’t look forward to our twice-yearly Penance Services (it’s just hard to go to the dark side of one’s personality) but I know they are good for me and I do them. And I find consolation in the fact that shoulder to shoulder with me in the service may be those very ones against whom I have sinned, and those very ones who have sinned against me, and I know that in community and humility we will move forward by the grace of God.