Dear Kianna, 

Does God really forgive all my sins, even the worst ones? — Unforgivable 

Dear Unforgivable, 

As I discovered during my first year of teaching, this question resonates with many of my students and is always a topic of discussion in class. At the heart of your question, I imagine a child gazing into the eyes of his/her parents, seeking compassion and acceptance amid guilt and regret. This childlike gaze is in you and me, as we look to our father in Heaven and wonder how we can be forgiven all our offenses, especially the ones we wish to blot from our memories. Perhaps there is a particular sin you’ve struggled with for years or a bad habit that you long to break. Is there an event that occurred that you can’t let go of or a memory of something you wish had never happened? Even though you asked God for forgiveness and received the sacrament of reconciliation, the doubts linger in your mind: “I am unforgivable,” “I will never be good enough” or “How can God forgive this sin?” 

These doubts can become so daunting and convincing that they pull us away from the endless mercy that God wishes to pour into our hearts. This very struggle resonates deeply with me. There have been many moments when I have thought, “How can God forgive me again when I keep committing the same sin?” This thought always generates a deep feeling of sadness and hopelessness within me, which is the exact opposite of Jesus’ mission. In these moments, I call to mind a powerful quote from Pope Francis: “God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy.” 

Imagine if Jesus died on the cross to save us from our pride and jealousy but not our anger and selfishness. Imagine if Jesus gave up his life to save us from one category of sin but not another. If that was the case, then God’s love and forgiveness would be conditional, which goes against the very essence of who God is. Unconditional love is what radiates from the heart of Jesus, which means there are no limits, boundaries or conditions. As humans, this is a hard concept to fully grasp because our love is conditional and limited, but the love of Jesus is eternal and never-ending.  

Allow me to say this loud and clear: You are forgivable. You are worthy. You are good enough. It’s easy for us to place limits on God’s love, but it is this very love that would leave the 99 sheep to seek the one who is lost. Our heavenly shepherd wishes to free and purify all of us, especially the darkest areas that go unseen and locked away. Through the sacrament of reconciliation, the Lord bestows on us his unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness, bringing us to the heart of Jesus’ words in Mark 2:17 — “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” 

Let us rejoice and be glad! May God bless you! 


Read the rest of the June/July 2023 issue of Northwest Catholic here.