Admitting sin is necessary condition for receiving God's mercy, Pope tells congregation
March 03, 2016
Preaching at a morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae on March 3, Pope Francis reminded his congregation that in order to receive God's mercy, one must first acknowledge one's sin.
Reflecting on the day's reading from the prophet Jeremiah, the Pope said that "God is always faithful," but his people are persistently unfaithful. Rather than listening to the Word of God, his people close their minds. Through their infidelity, the Pope continued, the people harden their hearts.
Next the Pope commented on the Psalm verse: "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts." While God repeats that he is always ready to receive those who turn to Him, "when the heart is hardened, you don't understand this," the Pope said.
The solution, the Holy Father said, is "confessing to being a sinner." He went on: "If you acknowledge that you are a sinner, the heart opens and God's mercy is allowed to enter."
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