Christ Will Not Reject You

Lent Day 13

“…I will not reject anyone who comes to me…”

— John 6:37b—

I debated extending this reading into the broader Eucharistic discourse but decided against it after the phrase “…I will not reject anyone who comes to me…” continued to be a nuisance in my mind. This passage also aligns with the reading of the Lord of the Rings I did with my kids tonight.

Tonight, the hobbit adventurers just reached Rivendale, the city where the angel-like elves rule in a “heaven-on-earth” kingdom. After receiving healing from the King of Rivendale, Elrond, Frodo is invited to a banquet. As he takes his seat, Tolkien describes the wonder Frodo is experiencing as a little hobbit who has found himself dining among the elvish royalty:

“…[Frodo] was both surprised and abashed to find that he had a seat at Elrond’s table among all these folk so high and fair. Though he had a suitable chair, and was raised upon several cushions, he felt very small and rather out of place; but that fealing quickly passed.”¹

This description fits my heart very well during and after Mass at our parish. It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since coming into the Church. At the time, I wrote a piece explaining my conversion and how I felt like a “little hobbit” entering a massive Kingdom. Having not read the LOTR, I did not expect there to be a description that matched so well my experience every Sunday at Mass.²

The word “Catholic” means “Universal”. The Catholic Church is the universal solution to the universal problem of sin. I’ve heard it said once, “All are welcome, but not all are willing.” This is important in the context of Jesus’ words, “I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” Perhaps a retelling of my first confession will clarify what I mean.

As I prepared for my first confession, I didn’t know what to expect. Honestly, I was not nervous. I was more curious than anything else. For those that don’t know, the first confession is required before coming into the Church. The older you are, the more intense it can be. The reason is that you reflect on your entire life up to that point and then tell the priest your sins beginning with the sins that were the most wicked. Given that I was around 35 years old, I had a lot of sins to remember and reflect upon. So I wrote them down in a journal and then went to the Church.

I stood in line for about 20 minutes. Then it was my turn. I entered the confessional and explained to the priest I was a convert and that this was my first confession. What happened next can only be described as a crushing “conversion experience”.

As I began to say each sin to the priest, the weight of my sin became heavier and heavier, and heavier. When I was a Protestant, I did not realize how much I had rationalized so many of my sins. This became apparent as I confessed each sin to the priest. But with each confessed sin, my heart broke a little bit more.

Finally, I was crushed. I had said all the sins that I could remember, and I was weeping in a confessional. For the first time in my life, I could echo with my whole heart, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

The priest gave me some words of encouragement, absolved me of my sins, and then I exited the confessional.

The sanctuary was mostly empty at this point. I walked directly to the communion rail, fell to my knees, and continued to weep. What had been a past covered in shadow and sin, was now illuminated by the various ways God had guided me to this moment. Mary, the saints, and all of Heaven had played some role in bringing me to this very moment.

Up until then, I had never felt the love of God more potently, nor had I realized the depth of my need for Christ. After I finished praying, I got up, wiped my eyes, and called my wife.

My experience in the confessional has privileged me to understand these words at a depth I could not have known as a Protestant: “…I will not reject anyone who comes to me…” It is a grace only found in the Sacraments. It is not a psychological thing. You cannot get this talking to a friend, a coach, a counselor, or any other manmade thing. It’s a “thin place” and it is available to any who wants it.

Jesus will not reject anyone, but that does not mean that everyone will accept him. The Church really does have the words of life, and anyone can experience them. If you are a Protestant scratching your head about this whole confession thing, I pray that you continue to pull on the threads that will lead you to your first confession. If you’re a Catholic who has not been back to confession in a long time, go back. Christ is waiting, and he will not reject anyone who comes to him for healing.

— DR

1. The Lord of the Rings — The Fellowship of the Ring. Bk. 2. Ch. 1

2. You can read the whole post here: