How Important is Forgivness?

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. John 20:23

It is very foolish to fear or resent the authority of the Church, for that authority is the basis on which she forgives our sins.

When he was asked why he became a Catholic, G. K. Chesterton, the great English writer, replied: “To get my sins forgiven.” Jesus came to earth for that purpose. “You shall call his name Jesus (Savior), for he will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:21). And the Church, since she is his Body, continues his work. Therefore the Church’s purpose on earth is to extend through time and space this kingdom of forgiveness.

Not merely forgiveness, but Christ’s forgiveness. Forgiveness, like the Church herself, is wholly Christocentric.

How important is forgiveness? Eternally important! “Were there no forgiveness of sins in the Church, there would be no hope of life to come or eternal liberation. Let us thank God who has given his Church such a gift.” Catholic Christianity, Peter Kreeft

Catholicism has always interested me with all of its rituals, traditions, practices, mysteries, stories, and scandals. I thought that I knew all there was to know about Catholicism when growing up in Mexico but as I have been discovering over the past few years, I knew so little. The Catholicism that I grew up around is almost a completely different kind of Catholicism taught in America’s religious textbooks.

In my opinion, from my readings, Catholicism says a lot of things right, some things I am not sure about, and some/many things I believe they have gotten wrong. Protestants do the same thing.

Catholicism is religion practiced to perfection.

I have always disagreed with the practice of certified priests forgiving the sins of its people, and people feeling that that is the only way to be forgiven. But if they are not interpreting John 20:23 right, then how should we interpret it. I don’t really here much said about this verse and the practice of the Church forgiving sins within the Protestant movement.

We know that we do have personal access to Christ’s forgiveness, but can we take it as far as the Catholic Church has taken it? Is there a balance somewhere? It is the last paragraph of the quote that I really have beef with. What do you think?