MR 5.E Teaching and Sanctifying Grace

All of our sins, past, present, and future, are not fully forgiven once we become Christians. In fact Matthew 6:12 states "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debters." Minor sins can be confessed directly through prayer but mortal sins must be forgiven through the act of penance or reconciliation. Only God has the power to forgive sins but after Jesus' resurrection He passed on his mission and his authority to the apostles to forgive sins "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.... Recieve the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven." The sacrament of Reconnciliation is only required for mortal sins because Christ commanded it. Although Reconciliation has changed throughout the years, the basics of the sacrament are the same.