Remission

Remission of sins ..

Luke 24:47

Remission is an interesting word. We most often hear it these days in a context of cancer. She's in remission means she is in the clear for now, though the cruelty of cancer is that sometimes the patient dies anyway, later, when it comes back. The other context is probationary: if you are a model prisoner you sometimes have the last period of your sentence reduced or remitted for good behaviour. And it is this 2nd context that applies to the Gospel reading today. The difference is Christ's remission of our sins is something we do not deserve, but can only be grateful for.