Pope says God pardons those humbly ashamed of their sins

29 April, 2013 - The confessional is not a ‘dry cleaner’ where our sins are automatically washed away. Jesus is not waiting there to ‘beat us up’ but to forgive us with tenderness. What we need is being ashamed of our sins which is not only natural, but is a virtue of the humble that helps prepare us for God's forgiveness. This was the heart of the brief homily that Pope Francis delivered at Monday’s morning Mass he celebrated in the chapel of the Vatican’s Santa Martha residence where he is staying. Addressing those attending he papal Mass, among whom were some Vatican employees, the Pope reflected on John’s Letter which speaks of God as light where there is no darkness. The Pope said all of us have some moments of darkness in our life, but he said, this does not mean walking in darkness. Walking in darkness would mean being satisfied with oneself, convinced that we don’t need salvation. This is darkness, the Pope said, quoting John, who said “'If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us'. But if we acknowledge our sinfulness and confess our sins, Pope Francis said, God forgives us. He always understand us”. We are often ashamed to tell the truth, but the Pope said, shame is a true Christian virtue, and even human. The ability to be ashamed is a virtue of the humble, and humility and meekness are like the frame of a Christian life. Confession is not a torture session where Christ is waiting to beat me; rather with tenderness he is waiting there to forgive me, the Pope said.