1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
When you think about it, it is really odd that the Catholic tradition has spawned a prayer like “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned…” It’s like saying “Bless me, Dad, for I have wrecked the car.” It’s a weird thing to ask a blessing for. Nonetheless, the instinct behind this prayer is exactly right: at no time are we more in need of the blessing of God than when we have sinned. “In need”, not “deserving.” And our God is, we rejoice to discover, the God who does indeed bless us when we have sinned. Weirder still, it is because he is “just” that he forgives sin. We tend to fear justice as the opposite of mercy. But Pope John Paul II tells us that God’s justice is his mercy. So thank God for his justice which is mercy, confess your sins, and be cleansed!
