An important theme in the Letter to the Hebrews is the pilgrimage of the people of God to the heavenly Jerusalem and the purification necessary for the faithful.

The Bible often refers to baptism as a washing away of our sins. However, after baptism, we often fall into the temptation of sin, so God provides us the Sacrament of Reconciliation to restore our souls to a state of grace.

In Reconciliation, “We allow the Lord to erase our sins, to heal our hearts, to raise us up, to embrace us and to reveal to us his tender and compassionate countenance,” Pope Francis said. This is what it means to live in God’s grace.

Occasionally, such as during this Jubilee Year, the Catholic Church offers Catholics the opportunity to receive even more grace in the form of an indulgence.

As Pope Francis says, “Every sin leaves its mark. In our humanity, weak and attracted by evil, certain residual effects of sin remain. These are removed by the indulgence, always by the grace of Christ, who, as Saint Paul VI wrote, “is himself our ‘indulgence.’”

Catholics can receive indulgences during this Jubilee Year by visiting local pilgrimage sites and offering certain prayers and spiritual practices.

To learn more about these pilgrimage sites and the associated Plenary Indulgences, read this article:
www.gulfcoastcatholic.org/pilgrimage

How can my faith lead me to receive the abundance of God's grace in my life?

Lord Jesus, help me to be a Pilgrim of Hope, cleansed of my sins and living in your grace. Amen.