Last Sunday morning, I was finishing my rosary in the Holy Martyrs’ parking lot before the 8:30am Mass.

It was a beautiful morning, with temperatures hovering around 78 degrees, and the sky was partly cloudy. I was thinking to myself how nice the fields looked behind the church, as well as the forest area just to the east of it.

As I was thanking God for the weather and nice morning, I suddenly realized that the side windows of my car and my windshield were speckled with the remnants of old rain drops. The windows were dirty, and I had not even noticed it prior to this.

I then thought how much nicer everything would look if the car had been washed. I decided to get my car washed on the following Monday.

Isn’t that like sin on our souls? We commit mistakes through sinful habits and then seem to forget about it. We do not remember as often as we should what needs to be washed away. We still think we are seeing life and where we are going clearly, yet we know that when we reflect on it, things could be much better if we were to seek forgiveness of those sins.

When we seek forgiveness for our sins, we see God’s presence and beauty most clearly, and our view is not obstructed by that which can dim that vision. This serves as a reminder to take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly. God’s mercy awaits us.

By: Deacon Tom Gryzbek