Below the high altar, in a glass case, you can see the actual chains that once bound St. Peter when he was held as a prisoner for preaching the Gospel. Yet, God heard Peter’s prayers for freedom and he was granted a miraculous escape with the aid of an angel (Acts 12:4-11).
St. Peter’s freedom allowed him to return to continue the work that Christ had called him to do as shepherd of the Church, with even greater faith and courage. Later, St. Peter would write in his first letter, “Live as free men, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil. Rather, live as servants of God” (1 Pt 2:16).
If anyone knew the weight and burden of bondage, it was St. Peter. Although once bound by metal chains, earlier in the Gospels we know that St. Peter was bound by chains of doubt, fear and sin. Whenever St. Peter called out to Christ, God answered his humble request, and granted him the freedom that comes from divine love and mercy. With Christ all chains can be broken.
Penance is an essential part of Lent. It would be impossible to grow closer to God when we are still bound by our chains of sin and the hurt that comes from them. One cannot grow closer to the person they want to love if there is no freedom to grow.
The sacrament of confession is when God listens to our humble voices asking for freedom, change in our lives and grace. St. Peter is the perfect example of God’s love giving us freedom and courage to return to the work to which He has called us, even now with a stronger faith, hope and love. With Christ there is the divine love to have sins forgiven and the grace to do better.
Confession is when we become participants in the day that God so loved the world that He died upon the cross for us. Lent is when we renew our sincere sorrow for past sins and come to a deeper awareness of God’s love and mercy.
The graces of this sacrament foster a renewed peace and clarity in our lives, healing and a deeper love for God and neighbor. One cannot love without freedom. In our reception of the sacrament of confession we encounter Christ Himself — the Savior — whose love sets us free.
