Full Disclosure: Sinner Here

As a mother of two and a teacher of I don't know how many, I have seen my fair share of animated films.  I have several favorites but there are a few that I would have absolutely no problem watching again and again, much like the years my sons were young.

There is one scene in Shrek in which Donkey wants to be "selected" and he bounds up and down saying, "Pick Me! Pick Me!"  I was always that way as a young student but I think that what I love most about is how it ties to my faith life.

We touched on Original Sin in class on Sunday September 16 and I asked students what sin was.  I got a lot of good answers and clarified their responses that sin is anything that breaks our relationship and/or direct connection to God.  I think that they understood it very well.  So when given the opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation, I am very much like Donkey from Shrek.  There is nothing in the world like forgiveness. Forgiveness is divine and can move us by light years closer to God.  I want to be close to God, always--even when I fall, I want my savior and forgiving father to be right next to me.

I used to use an analogy with my middle school students (now in college) that Reconciliation is like the very best car wash/detailing for your soul.  Yes, when we leave the confessional there is still work to do but in my humble opinion, that is why I am here.  My life is God's gift to me; what I do with my life is my gift back to God.  I want to walk in His ways all that I can, but I am a sinner. 

When we further discussed sin, most students tied sin as what we do to the earth.  This is true but a deeper stretch is what we do to fellow man.  How do I treat my "neighbor"? When my temper is short or I am not getting my way, how am I treating a fellow human made in the likeness and image of God?

The children grasped very quickly the difference between saying, "I am sorry" and asking for forgiveness.  Please encourage your child to practice this skill and also discuss what we need to remember to keep our relationship with God in tact. 

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