The ministry of reconciliation, the gift of grace and forgiveness.

"One of the "strange" things about the Christian understanding of sin is that Christians become more aware of sin in proportion to their growth in holiness. The more we love, the more we know how much the lover is offended. The great saints really knew about sin. St. Francis of Assisi, as he lay dying, claimed he was the greatest of sinners. At one time I thought this was just the pious rambling of an unearthly man; but now I see that this was the honest realization of a great lover."