Legend has it that while painting the Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci has a terrible fight with one of his assistants. Afterward, when he went to his studio, picked up his brush and prepared to paint the face of Jesus, he could not. All he could see in his mind was the face of his assistant.

He put the brush down, went to the man and asked his forgiveness. The assistant embraced Leonardo and said, ‘I do forgive you with all my heart.” When daVinci returned to his studio he painted the face of his assistant as the face of Jesus to always remind him that when he sins against a neighbor, he sins against Christ.

We enter this second week of advent anxiously anticipating the coming of the Lord.  Scriptures tell us that the desert will bloom when it sees the glory of God. This glory consists in the trust of His children. Trust is built up through forgiveness, which is why confession is such an important part in the maturing of our spiritual lives.

Falling on your knees and asking God to forgive you is a part of healing from the fear we can sometimes possess because of our pride.

Believe in the power of Jesus to heal you; to embrace you in your weaknesses. Our God saves His people, so ‘that your love may increase more and more…so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

Do not be afraid to admit your crooked ways, be afraid not to ask for forgiveness from the priest who has been sent to make your crooked ways straight.