Bishop John Noonan | Diocese of Orland website

Lent is approaching, and the season of penance serves as a preparation for the Lord’s resurrection. It also brings stress to some due to the sacrifices involved. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is highlighted as a key tool, described as a "Sacrament of Hope" filled with love and mercy.

Father Phillip Mills from St. James Cathedral shared his appreciation for the jubilee year's motto, "Peregrinantes in Spem," meaning "Pilgrims into Hope." He emphasized that to proclaim hope, one must first embrace it through Christ. He acknowledged that confessing sins can be intimidating but described it as entering something sacred. "We’re walking into where God is and where He desires His love to be burning even more," he explained.

He cited Christ’s words, “Everything in the darkness is going to be brought into the light,” interpreting it as an invitation to bring all parts of oneself to God for love. Father Mills likened confession not to starting over but progressing further in one's journey.

Paraphrasing Pope Francis, he noted that God's mercy surpasses sinfulness and that repentance enhances one's capacity to receive divine love. Missionary of Mercy Father Anthony Aarons added that sin represents a refusal of love and emphasized reconciliation's role in healing relationships.

Father Aarons referenced John 20:23, where Jesus grants apostles authority to forgive sins, viewing it as another source of hope. He compared evangelism to sharing forgiveness found through reconciliation: “Once I have found the forgiveness, I can say, ‘You can too!’”

He acknowledged denial among believers about sin in their lives and quoted 1 John 1:8 on self-deception regarding sinlessness. The Examination of Conscience was recommended for honest self-reflection.

“Life is a journey,” Father Aarons remarked, describing confession as a pause offering renewal and hope rather than an end. As one of 127 U.S.-appointed Missionaries of Mercy by Pope Francis, he serves at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary in Orlando.

Reconciliation services at the Shrine are available Monday through Friday from 10-11:30 a.m. and 2-4 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m.-noon.