In last week’s column, I wrote about sin, that selfish moment of defiance when we weaken or even break our relationship with God. Mortal sin destroys our covenantal relationship with God, and venial sin, those faults we commit every day, weakens our relationship with God. At such moments we need to be reconciled to God; we need to re-establish the covenantal relationship that God first establishes with us. It is at this moment that the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation plays a crucial role in our spiritual life. Through the sacrament, we are reconciled to God. Through the sacrament, our relationship with God is renewed and strengthened. Click the title to read more.

If you are a reader of this column, you know that the Archdiocese has launched a program called Light4you (www.Light4You.info), whereby every church in the Archdiocese will be open for confessions on the Mondays of Lent from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Given the importance of this initiative and its potential for revitalizing the church in the Archdiocese, I will be devoting the next several columns to the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation. But before speaking of the Sacrament, I would like to discuss the reason for the sacrament. I would like to speak about sin.

For the past two weeks, my columns have focused on preparing for Lent. Thus far, I have written about almsgiving and prayer. Today, as we approach the beginning of Lent, I consider fasting. Click the title to read more.