Εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος.

Γιὰ τέταρτη φορὰ θὰ προσπαθήσω νὰ μιλήσω γιὰ τὴν ἐξομολόγηση καὶ αὐτὸ ποὺ θέλω νὰ θίξω εἶναι τὸ μυστήριο τῆς συγχώρησης. Ὅταν προσερχόμαστε στὸ μυστήριο τῆς Ἐξομολόγησης, ὅπως ἤδη ἔχω πεῖ, βρισκόμαστε μέσα στὴν παρουσία τοῦ Θεοῦ˙ ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς δὲν εἶναι κριτὴς, εἶναι ὁ Σωτήρας μας. Ὁ Θεὸς εἶναι ὁ φίλος μας, ἐκεῖνος ποὺ μᾶς ἀγάπησε μὲ τέτοιο τρόπο, ὥστε νὰ δώσει τὴ ζωή Του για νὰ ζοῦμε μέσα στὴν δικὴ Του ἀγάπη, γιὰ νὰ μᾶς σώσει ἀπὸ τὴν καταδίκη καὶ σ’ Ἐκεῖνον ἐρχόμαστε ὅπως πηγαίνουμε σ’ ἕναν φίλο, σ’ἕναν Σωτήρα.

Ἐξομολογούμεθα σ’ Αὐτὸν, Τοῦ ἀνοίγουμε τὴν καρδιὰ μας, Τοῦ λέμε, ὅπως ἔχω πεῖ ξανὰ, ὅ,τι μᾶς χωρίζει ἀπὸ Ἐκεῖνον, ὄχι λίστες ἁμαρτιῶν, ἀλλὰ αὐτὸ ποὺ νοιώθουμε ὅτι εἶναι ἡ ἀπιστία μας, αὐτὸ ποὺ νοιώθει ἡ καρδιά μας ὅτι μᾶς χωρίζει ἀπὸ Ἐκεῖνον , ἐπειδὴ παρὰ τὰ λόγια ἀγάπης καὶ σεβασμοῦ ποὺ προφέρουμε, συμπεριφερόμαστε μὲ τρόπο ποὺ Τὸν καρφώνει πάλι στὸν Σταυρό.
Λέμε ψέματα καὶ φτιάχνουμε ἕναν κόσμο ὅπου μόνον ὁ θάνατος μπορεῖ νὰ θριαμβεύσει. Ἀπορρίπτουμε τὸν πλησίον μας καὶ φράζουμε τὸν δρόμο μας πρὸς τὴν Βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, διότι παρόλο ποὺ λέμε, «Πάτερ ἡμῶν» καὶ ὄχι «Πατέρα μου», δὲν ὑπάρχει τόπος γιὰ ἐμᾶς στὴν Βασιλεία Του.

Κι ἔτσι ζητοῦμε ἀπὸ τὸν Κύριο νὰ μᾶς συγχωρέσει – ὄχι ἕναν τυπικὸ λόγο ἀπὸ Ἐκεῖνον ποὺ θὰ λέει˙ «ἦσουν ἀνάξιος τῆς φιλίας Μου, ἀλλὰ εἶμαι μεγαλόκαρδος καὶ σὲ συγχωρῶ». Ὄχι, δὲν εἶναι αὐτὸ τὸ θέμα˙ δὲν πρέπει νὰ ἐπιζητοῦμε αὐτὸ τὸ εἶδος φιλίας. Εἶναι μιὰ πραγματικὴ συμφιλίωση ὅπου προσφέρουμε τὴν καρδιὰ μας στὸν Θεὸ, τὴν ἀλήθεια ποὺ πρέπει νὰ βγεῖ πρὸς τὰ ἔξω, ὅπου Τοῦ λέμε ποῦ ἀπιστήσαμε, ἐπειδὴ εἴμασταν ἄπιστοι, ὄχι ἄμεσα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸν πλησίον, τοὺς φίλους, τοὺς συγγενεῖς, στὸν καθένα ποὺ βρίσκεται γύρω μας, γιὰ τὴν ἀδιαφορία, τὴν περιφρόνηση ποὺ δείξαμε στὸν κόσμο ποὺ Ἐκεῖνος δημιούργησε – ἕναν κόσμο ποὺ ἀγάπησε τόσο ὥστε νὰ τὸν δημιουργήσει ἐκ τοῦ μηδενός.

Καὶ ἀφοῦ τὸ ποῦμε αὐτὸ, πρέπει νὰ Τοῦ ζητήσουμε νὰ συμφιλιωθοῦμε. «Κύριε, ἄς γίνουμε πάλι φίλοι, γνωρίζω ὅτι ἀκόμα δὲν ἔχω ἀλλάξει, μόνο ἡ δική Σου φιλία – ἀδιατάραχτη, πιστὴ, μπορεῖ νὰ μὲ παρακινήσει νὰ γίνω διαφορετικός. Ἄν ἀπομακρυνθεῖς, ἄν μὲ ἀπορρίψεις, δὲν ἔχω λόγο ν’ ἀλλάξω˙ εἶμαι καταραμένος σ’ αὐτὸν τὸν κόσμο ὅ,τι κι ἄν συμβεῖ μελλοντικά. Ὁ μοναδικὸς λόγος γιὰ ν’ ἀλλάξω εἶναι ἐπειδὴ ὁ Κύριος εἶπε˙ «Πέρα ἀπὸ τὸ κάθε τι, παραμένω φίλος σου, σ’ ἀγαπῶ καὶ σοῦ προσφέρω τὴ ζωὴ καὶ τὸν θάνατό Μου. Μπορεῖς νὰ ἀνταποκριθεῖς σ’ αὐτὴν τὴν ἀγάπη δείχνοντας Του πίστη; Δὲν περιμένω ἀπὸ σένα ἄμεση, ὁλοκληρωτικὴ ἀλλαγή – ἀλλὰ νὰ ἀλλάξεις σιγὰ σιγά. Στηρίξου ἐπάνω Μου, θὰ σὲ προστατέψω, θὰ σοῦ δώσω δύναμη -ἀλλὰ ἄλλαξε. Καὶ ὅταν στὸ ὄνομα Μου, λάβεις συγχώρηση ἀπὸ τὸν ἱερέα, μὴν φαντάζεσαι ὅτι δὲν ὑπάρχει πιὰ παρελθόν. Τὸ παρελθὸν θὰ περάσει ὅταν γίνεις ξένος πρὸς αὐτὸ, ὥστε πλέον νὰ μὴν εἶναι δικό σου».

Ἴσως ν’ἀκουστεῖ πολὺ περίεργο, ἀλλὰ ὅλοι μας ζοῦμε μιὰ πολύπλοκη ζωή. Θυμᾶμαι μιὰ ἠλικιωμένη γυναίκα ποὺ ἦρθε καὶ μοῦ εἶπε ὅτι δὲν ξέρει πῶς νὰ ζήσει. Περνοῦσε τὰ βράδυα της μὲ ὄνειρα καὶ τὶς ἀναμνήσεις τοῦ κακοῦ ποὺ εἶχε κάνει. Πῆγε στὸν γιατρὸ, τῆς ἔδωσε χάπια καὶ χειροτέρεψε, ἐπειδὴ οἱ ἀναμνήσεις της ἔγιναν ἐφιάλτες. Τὶ μποροῦσε νὰ κάνει;

Τῆς εἶπα: «Θυμηθεῖτε, ὁ Θεὸς δὲν μᾶς δίδει σὰν δωρεὰ νὰ ζοῦμε μόνο μιὰ φορὰ, ἀλλὰ νὰ ζοῦμε ξανὰ καὶ ξανὰ μέχρι ποὺ νὰ καθαρίσει τὸ κακὸ ἀπὸ μέσα μας. Ὅταν τὸ κακὸ ἀπὸ τὸ παρελθὸν ἔρθει καὶ σταθεῖ ἐνώπιον σας, ρωτῆστε τὸν ἑαυτό σας˙ «Μὲ τὴν ἐμπειρία τῆς ζωῆς ποὺ ἔχω ἀποκτήσει, θὰ μποροῦσα νὰ εἶμαι τώρα τὸ πρόσωπο ποὺ ἤμουν τότε; Θὰ ἔλεγα αὐτὰ τὰ καταστροφικὰ λόγια, θὰ ἔκανα μιὰ τέτοια πράξη; Καὶ ἄν μπορεῖτε εἰλικρινὰ νὰ πεῖτε: ὦ ὄχι, ἀπὸ αὐτὰ ποὺ ἔμαθα ἀπὸ τὴ ζωὴ, τώρα, ἐνῶ βρίσκομαι στὴν ἴδια κατάσταση, ποτὲ δὲν θὰ ἔκανα τὸ ἴδιο πράγμα – τὸτε μπορεῖτε νὰ πεῖτε: «Κύριε, συγχώρησε αὐτὴ τὴ συγκεκριμένη στιγμὴ ἀπὸ τὸ παρελθόν μου» καὶ νὰ ξέρετε ὅτι θὰ ἐλευθερωθεῖτε. Ἄν μπορεῖτε νὰ τὸ πεῖτε αὐτὸ ὁλόψυχα, εἰλικρινὰ, μὲ τὴν ἀλήθεια ποὺ ὑπάρχει μέσα σας, τότε δὲν θὰ σᾶς ἐπισκέπτεται τὸ κακό».

Κι ἔτσι συνέβη σ’ αὐτὴν τὴν ἠλικιωμένη γυναίκα καὶ θὰ μποροῦσε νὰ συμβεῖ στὸν καθένα μας. Δὲν μποροῦμε σὲ μιὰ στιγμὴ νὰ ἐλευθερωθοῦμε ἀπὸ τὸ παρελθὸν μας, πρέπει νὰ ἀρνηθοῦμε τὸ κακὸ ποὺ ὑπάρχει σ’ αὐτό. Πρέπει νὰ στραφοῦμε στὸν Χριστὸ, τὸν Θεὸ μας καὶ νὰ ὑποσχεθοῦμε νὰ δώσουμε μάχη γιὰ τὴν πίστη, νὰ ζητήσουμε τὴν βοήθεια Του, καὶ τότε βῆμα βῆμα θὰ ἐλευθερωθοῦμε ἀπὸ τὸ παρελθόν. Δὲν σημαίνει ὅτι δὲν ἔχουμε συγχωρηθεῖ, διότι συγχώρηση σημαίνει ὅτι κάποιος μᾶς ἀποδέχεται καὶ μᾶς ἀγαπάει μὲ τὰ λάθη μας, μὲ τρυφερότητα, πῶς δὲν θὰ ξεχάσει ποτὲ τὴν ἀδυναμία μας, δὲν θὰ ξεχάσει ποτὲ τὶ ἔφταιξε μ’ ἐμᾶς, ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸ σημαίνει νὰ μᾶς ἐκθέσει στὸν ἴδιο πειρασμὸ δίχως προστασία.

Θυμᾶμαι μιὰ γυναίκα ποὺ ἦταν ἀλκοολικὴ, ποὺ ἔκανε θεραπεία γιὰ ἀρκετὸ καιρὸ στὸ νοσοκομεῖο, γύρισε σπίτι της θεραπευμένη καὶ γιὰ νὰ γιορτάσει ἡ οἰκογενειά της τὴν ἐπιστροφή της ἔβαλε ἕνα μπουκάλι στὸ τραπέζι˙ καὶ αὐτὸ ἦταν τὸ τέλος, ἐπειδὴ σκέφτηκαν ὅτι θεραπεύτηκε, ἀλλὰ δὲν συνειδητοποίησαν ὅτι ἦταν ἀκὸμα μέσα της εὐάλωτη.

Τὸ ἴδιο συμβαίνει μ’ἐμᾶς, ὅταν δεχόμαστε συγχώρεση ἀπὸ τὸν Θεό. Ναί, ἡ ἀποξένωση μας ἀπὸ Ἐκεῖνον χάνεται. Ναὶ, τίποτε δὲν μᾶς χωρίζει ἀπὸ Ἐκεῖνον σὲ σχέση μὲ τὴν ἀγάπη – τὴν ἀγάπη Του-καὶ καὶ τὴν δική μας λαχτάρα. Ἀλλὰ πρέπει νὰ ἀγωνιστοῦμε καὶ ν’ ἀλλάξουμε καὶ νὰ γίνουμε καινούργιοι, νέα δημιουργήματα, μὲ τὴν βοήθειά Του. Ἡ συγχώρηση δὲν σβήνει τὸ παρελθόν, τὸ θεραπεύει .

Ἄς προσέλθουμε λοιπὸν στὴν Ἐξομολόγηση μ’ αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα. Νὰ λέμε τὶς ἁμαρτίες μας καθημερινὰ στὸν Θεὸ μὲ εἰλικρίνεια, ἄς ἀνοίξουμε τὶς καρδιὲς μας, ἄς εἰρηνεύσουμε, ἄς συμφιλιωθοῦμε καὶ ἄς μάθουμε ὅτι συμφιλίωση σημαίνει ἀναλαμβάνουμε τὴν εὐθύνη νὰ Τοῦ εἴμαστε πιστοὶ καὶ νὰ πολεμοῦμε τὸν κακὸ ἑαυτό μας καὶ τὸ κακό, νὰ πολεμᾶμε γιὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους γύρω μας ποὺ πληγώνουμε καὶ γιὰ τὸν Χριστὸ ποὺ σταυρώνουμε.

Ἄς σκεφτοῦμε, καὶ τότε, κάθε φορὰ ποὺ θὰ ἐρχόμαστε γιὰ νὰ ἐξομολογηθοῦμε, ἡ συγχωρητικὴ εὐχὴ θὰ ἔχει ἀληθινὸ νόημα: ἡ ἀποκατάσταση μιᾶς φιλίας ποὺ δὲν μπορεῖ νὰ ἀθετήσει Ἐκεῖνος, ἀλλὰ ἐμεῖς, καὶ ποὺ τώρα ἀνανεώνεται ἐπειδὴ ἔχουμε πάρει τὴν ἀπόφαση νὰ γίνει πράξη καὶ νέα ζωὴ γιὰ ἐμᾶς. Ἀμήν.

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Πρωτότυπο κείμενο

ON CONFESSION

4th Sermon

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

For the fourth time I endeavour to speak on Confession. And what I want to touch upon is the mystery of forgiveness. When we come to Confession, as I have said before, we come into the presence of God. But God is not a judge; God is our Saviour. God is our Friend, the one who has loved us in such a way that He has given His life that we may believe in His love, and given His life to save us from condemnation. And it is to Him, as to a Friend, and to a Saviour, that we come.

We confess to Him, we open our hearts to Him. We tell Him, as I tried to explain on other occasions, all that separates us from Him; not lists of formal sins but what we feel in our hearts is our unfaithfulness; what we feel in our hearts separates us, because in spite of the words of love and of veneration which we pronounce, we act in a way that nails Him to the cross again.

We lie; and we create a world in which only death can triumph. We reject our neighbour and we close our own way into the Kingdom of God, because unless we can say, «Our Father» and not «My Father», there is no place for us in His Kingdom.

And so we ask the Lord for forgiveness – but not a formal word that will say, «You have been unworthy of My friendship, but I\’m great-hearted and I forgive». No, that is not the point. It\’s not that kind of forgiveness which we must seek. It\’s a true reconciliation, in which we pour out our heart to God, the truth that there is to be said, in which we tell Him all the ways in which we have been unfaithful to Him – not only directly, but being unfaithful to our neighbour, to our friends, to our relatives, to anyone around us. The way, also, in which we have treated the world He has created with contempt and indifference – a world which He has so loved as to call it into existence.

And when we have said that, we must ask Him, as I have said a minute before, for reconciliation. «Let us be friends again, Lord. I know I have not changed yet. It is only Your friendship – unshakeable, faithful, that can prompt me to become different. If You reject me, if You turn away from me, I have no reason to change. I am damned, I am damned in this world, whatever happens in the future world.» The only reason why I can change is that the Lord said, «In spite of all, I remain your friend. In spite of all, I love you with all My life and all My death. Can you in response to this love show a little faithfulness? I don\’t expect from you a total, immediate change. But change step by step. Hold on to Me. I will support you, I\’ll help you, I\’ll protect you, I\’ll guide you, I\’ll give you strength – but do change. And when you receive forgiveness in My name from the priest, don\’t imagine that the past does not exist. The past will have gone only when you have become so alien to this past that it is no longer yours.»

It may sound very strange. But we all live a complex life. I remember an old woman who came and said to me that she does not know how to live. She spends her whole nights seeing in her dreams and in her memories all the evil she has done. She went to the doctor, who gave her pills, and it was only worse because from her memories it became hallucinations. What can she do?

And I said to her, «Remember, God grants us not only once to live through our life but to live and relive our lives time and again until all the evil of it is expurgated. When evil stands up from the past before you, ask yourself: now, with the experience of life I have acquired, now, would I be the person I was then? Would I say these murderous words, would I do such and such action which was evil? And if you can say sincerely: oh no, with what I have learnt from life, now, placed in the same situation, I would never, never do the same – then you can say, \’Lord, forgive me this particular moment of my past\’, and know that you are free. If you can say that with all your heart, with all sincerity, with all the truth there is in you, then it will not come back to you».

And so it happened to this old woman. And so it should happen to each of us. We can not in a moment be free of our past. We must renounce the evil there is in it. We must turn to Christ our God and promise to struggle for faithfulness, ask for His help, and then, step by step free ourselves of the past. It does not mean that we are not forgiven, because forgiven means accepted in love, accepted with tenderness by someone who will never forget our weakness, never forget what has gone wrong with us, because to forget means that he will expose us to the same temptation without protection.

I remember a woman who was a drunkard, who was treated for a long time in hospital, who came back home healed. And to feast her return the family put a bottle of wine on the table; and it was the end; because they thought she was healed, but they did not realise that there was still frailty in her.

And so it is with us when we receive forgiveness from God. Yes, our estrangement from Him is gone. Yes, there is nothing that separates us from Him as far as love is concerned – His love – and as far as our longing – our longing – is concerned. But we must struggle and change and become new, new creatures, with His help. Forgiveness does not erase the past. It heals it in co-operation between God and us.

Let us therefore come to Confession in this spirit. Let us confess ourselves daily to God, sincerely; open our hearts, make our peace with Him, enter into reconciliation; and know that reconciliation means that we have undertaken to be faithful to Him; and fight, and fight ourselves, and fight evil, and fight for the people around us, whom we wound, and for God, Whom we crucify.
Let us reflect on this. And then, when we come to Confession, the prayer of Absolution will have a true and real meaning: the re-establishment of a friendship that cannot be broken on God\’s part, but was broken on ours and is now restored in intention. And this intention must be determination; and determination must be action, and new life in us. Amen.