Psalm Reflection: The Second Sunday of Advent - Cycle A

“Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.” - Psalms 72

My first confession was when I was in the second grade.

My second confession was about a month later with a friend’s family.

My third confession was twelve years later.

A lot of life happens in twelve years.

A lot of friendships.

A lot of growth.

A lot of memories.

A lot of mistakes. 

A lot of sin.

I had come back to the Church after a year or so away and had become more involved through music ministry, which led me to be serving on the team for a retreat where we were all invited to go to confession. Many of the teens on the retreat had not been since their first confession, and I, being in a similar boat, found myself getting anxious along with them.

Earlier that morning, I had climbed up the small hill infant of the retreat center and sat down on the single park bench at the top to watch the sunset. As I sat there, I contemplated the messages I had heard on the retreat so far, and was feeling very convicted of my own sin. I felt the heavy weight of those twelve years in my stomach and I desperately wanted to be free of it.

So, when the time came for confession later that day, no one was jumping up to go except for me. They told us that a local Irish priest was out in front of the retreat center waiting for us whenever we were ready. As I walked outside, I looked around and spotted the priest; he was sitting on the single park bench at the top of the hill. 

I purposely made my way up and sat next to him, and I started pouring out my heart and soul. I shared incredibly heavy and painful things I had been carrying with me, and all I was met with was freedom and peace. I cannot remember anything the priest said to me, but I remember never wanting to lose this newfound feeling of being totally and completely clean.

I needed to be convicted of my sin in order to experience that freedom. I needed to know the necessity of God’s justice to receive His peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the very first step in the process of confession is repentance. In order to experience God’s forgiveness, I need to recognize the weight of God’s justice and turn away from my sin. It is only then that I can experience the gift of his mercy.

We shy away from talking about sin and punishment because it certainly does not sound like the “Good News” we are meant to share with others. But no one will ever understand how good the Good News is, if they do not understand how bad the bad news is. The bad news is that we all sin, and sin will lead to death 100% of the time if we do not do something about it. The problem is: we cannot do a single thing about it. 

God is infinite. We are finite.

Sin separates us from God, and we cannot get back to an infinite God as finite beings. We are completely lost without God’s help, but He became man to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10) and to provide a way back for us.

God is just and will allow the consequences of sin to unfold.

God is also merciful and will provide a way out for us if we turn from sin and cling to Him.

God's justice is His perfect fairness and righteousness. It means that God gives each person what is due to them, based on His divine wisdom and love. Unlike human justice, which often focuses on punishment, God's justice is deeply intertwined with His mercy. He desires to restore and heal rather than merely to punish. 

Through Christ's sacrifice, God offers us forgiveness and the chance for redemption, demonstrating that His justice is not about retribution but about bringing us back into a right relationship with Him. Justice should not provoke fear, but instead it can lead us to peace.

“Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.” - Psalms 72

Do not fear the grace and mercy of Confession. Do not cling to your sin, but turn away from it with the knowledge that it will never satisfy the longing of your heart and will only ultimately lead to destruction and death. Cling instead to the Lord’s love and mercy, for He desires the fullness of peaceful you forever.

In what ways do you recognize the consequences of sin in your life? How can acknowledging these consequences help you appreciate the gift of redemption we have in Christ?

How can you find peace in knowing that God's justice is intertwined with His mercy? How might that understanding influence your daily actions and decisions?

In moments of struggle, how do you remind yourself to turn away from sin and embrace God's love and mercy? What practices might help you battle the ways you are currently struggling with sin?

I am praying for you. Please pray for me and my family, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, December 7th, 2025, the SecondSunday of Advent - Cycle A: Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17.