Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Vol. 7. No. 15 My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, Lent is the time of year when the Church encourages us to do a thorough examination of our spiritual health, and then to take whatever steps are necessary to let the healing power of Jesus make us whole again. The six and a half weeks of Lent provide a structure for diagnosing the symptoms and the root causes of our sinfulness. During this special time of year, the Church encourages us to take advantage of the healing power of the sacraments, especially the sacrament of reconciliation, to admit our selfishness and sin, to experience a change of heart, to deny ourselves, and to change the way we live. In his message for Lent 2026 (see below), Pope Leo XIV writes, “Every path towards conversion begins by allowing the word of God to touch our hearts and welcoming it with a docile spirit.” Openness to God’s word is the first step we must take to experience the healing power of God’s love. By listening to what God has to say to us, and by recognizing and responding to the cry of those who are anguished and suffering, we discover who we are called to be as missionary disciples of Jesus. The sacrament of reconciliation is like an oil change for the soul. It’s like moving the furniture of our souls and getting to the places that escape everyday cleaning. Through this great sacrament, we allow Jesus to enter our hearts and cleanse us of all the impurities—large and small—that have built up over time. We present ourselves to him for the healing of both our symptoms and their root causes. Jesus Christ is the Divine Physician of body and soul. In his Incarnation, Jesus reached out, by word and deed, to heal those with illnesses of the body and sicknesses of the soul. In his passion, death, and resurrection, he conquered sin and death, becoming the source of ultimate healing for all. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus gave his disciples a share in his very life, so that the healing power of his words and deeds might continue to be present to the world through them. And through the sacraments, Jesus himself continues to be present in every time and place, healing us and drawing us into the communion that he shares with the Father and the Spirit. During this Lent, this season of healing, I want to remind every baptized Catholic in the Archdiocese of Newark of the great gifts of cleansing and healing that are available to us in the sacrament of reconciliation. Through this great sacrament, our Redeemer invites us to a healing that brings reconciliation and communion—with God, with each other, and with ourselves in our inmost being. When we examine our consciences in preparation for confessing our sins, let’s keep in mind what Pope Leo teaches about “a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor.” We, sinners, can be very cruel to others—especially those who are different from us or who disagree with us. To change our ways, the Holy Father admonishes us: Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace. I sincerely hope that each of us will use this time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to come to know the depth of God’s love for us. And, in a special way, I hope this Lent will be a time when each of us rediscovers the healing power available to us through the sacrament of reconciliation. Sincerely yours in Christ the Redeemer, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R. Archbishop of Newark