Objective:
The middle school youth will understand that God alone forgives sins, although we all are called to be reconciled with those who trespass against us, as well as those we trespass against.
Overview:
As Catholics, we have a great gift in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us:
Only God forgives sins. Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself, “The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” and exercises this divine power: “Your sins are forgiven.” (1441)
God’s forgiveness not only reconciles us with Him, but also with the community.
During his public life Jesus not only forgave sins, but also made plain the effect of this forgiveness: he reintegrated forgiven sinners into the community of the People of God from which sin had alienated or even excluded them. (1443)