Whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven
Today marked my second day at the Benedictine monastery. I met a number of persons who have been arriving from all parts of the world to attend one of two retreats taking place from tomorrow. Like me they are looking for the Holy Spirit guidance on the way ahead.
A few that I have talked to have related their specific challenges at this point in their lives. One is discerning a major vocational change, another a healing from personal loss, and another longing to reconnect with a faith that once burned brightly.
As we shared our stories quietly under the shadow of the ancient cloisters, I felt a quiet sense of communion — not just with the other pilgrims, but with the deeper rhythms of the Spirit already at work among us.
I thought of this week’s Gospel, Matthew 16:13–19, where Jesus says, “Whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” The Church has traditionally interpreted this as a foundation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation — the authority given to Peter and his successors to forgive sins in Christ’s name.
As I reflect more deeply, especially in this monastic setting where silence allows the soul to breathe, I sense that this Gospel passage also speaks to more than formal absolution. It invites us to participate in the divine work of loosening burdens, breaking chains, and freeing one another from all that binds us — fear, anxiety, loss, and sorrow.
I believe that this power to “loose on earth” includes all healing that comes from the Holy Spirit — not only within the sacramental confessional but also in everyday moments of grace. When we forgive someone, offer a word of hope, walk with someone in grief, or pray over another with faith, we participate in the Spirit’s work of unbinding.
These are sacred acts that, though simple or hidden, have eternal echoes. In that sense, healing is not confined to ritual alone but is woven through the fabric of our lives when we act in the Spirit of Christ. Here at the monastery, I’ve already witnessed quiet moments of release — anxiety shared, burdens named, and peace slowly returning — signs that heaven is indeed responding as things are being loosed on earth.
I have produced a short video to capture my thoughts, I invite you to view