His Exact Words & What Their Impact Should Be


On iTunes, I have an audiobook by Brennan Manning.  The book is entitled The Ragamuffin Gospel.  In it, Manning tells the story of an archbishop who, in performing due diligence required by the Church for some special recognition like canonization, questioned a "would-be saint" with this pejorative challenge:

"Next time you see this vision of Christ, this apparition, I want you to ask him what sins I confessed during my most recent confession."

Some time later, the woman again encountered the risen Christ; and she called the archbishop to report the moment.  To put the woman's claims to rest once and for all, the archbishop finally asked her, "well, did you ask Jesus what sins I confessed during my most recent confession?"

She said, "I did."

"Well then," he offered, "what did he say?"

She replied, "These were his exact words:   I can't remember."

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Manning then goes on, borrowing from other writers:  "Christianity happens when men and women accept with unwavering trust that their sins have not only been forgiven, but forgotten."  

"A sad Christian is a phony Christian; and a guilty Christian is no Christian at all."


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