March 27, 2022
“Whereas sin is destructive, a penance can be constructive and bring healing to others harmed by one’s sin.”
– Fr. Bill
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Our communal Lenten reconciliation service with individual confession and absolution will be Saturday, April 2 at 10:00 am. In preparation, I would like to repeat a series of bulletin articles I did for our Advent reconciliation service.
It is the Holy Spirit who moves the follower of Christ who has sinned to come to the Sacrament of Penance. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, we seek deeper and deeper conversion to God. This process of conversion through the Sacrament of Reconciliation has four elements: contrition, confession, penance, and absolution.
In previous articles, I have examined contrition and confession. Now I would like to focus on the element of penance. Sin is destructive. It can harm self, others, the community, and creation. When I was a child, the common act of penance the priest gave us was to pray three Hail Marys and one Our Father. While prayer is always good, I often did not see the connection between what I confessed and the penance that was given. Today, the focus is on a penance that can really be a remedy for sin and a help to renewal of life.
Sin can easily become habit forming, even addictive. A penance can help one break a bad habit by developing a good one. One can push against a sin by choosing to do the opposite. In suggesting a penance, I often give the opposite of a sin confessed.
The penance can also help repair an injury sin has caused to another. Whereas sin is destructive, a penance can be constructive and bring healing to others harmed by one’s sin.
While the priest suggests the penance, the penitent has to agree to it. One can always ask for a different penance if the one suggested is impossible or too difficult to carry out. Sometimes the penitent even can suggest a penance they believe will be a true remedy for their sin.
This Lent, since we do not have permission to celebrate Reconciliation with a general absolution, we do have the opportunity to be more intentional in offering a penance that truly addresses the sins being confessed. The whole purpose of a penance is to bring healing. True conversion is completed by acts of penance.
March 20, 2022
“The priest is not there as sheriff or judge but there to express God’s mercy.” – Fr. Bill
Our communal Lenten reconciliation service with individual confession and absolution will be Saturday, April 2 at 10:00 am. In preparation, I would like to repeat a series of bulletin articles I did for our Advent reconciliation service.
It is the Holy Spirit, who moves the follower of Christ, who has sinned, to come to the Sacrament of Penance. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, we seek deeper and deeper conversion to God. This process of conversion through the Sacrament of Reconciliation has four elements: contrition, confessions, penance, and absolution.
Last week I reflected on contrition. This week, I focus on that second element: confession. This comes from true knowledge of self. Examining one’s actions, motives and circumstance is done in light of God’s mercy, confident that God wants to bring us greater freedom through the forgiveness of sin. Naming sin out loud lessens its power over us, for sin always likes to be kept secret where it can fester. Confession invites the penitent to open his or her heart to the minister of God, who is there to speak God’s mercy. Unfortunately, too many have experienced the confessional as a torture chamber rather than a hospital (as Pope Francis has lamented).
When a person names their sin to me, I am filled will compassion for their struggle as well as inspiration at their strength in naming that sin that tries to continue its hold on them. I also am attentive that it is the Holy Spirit, who probably led them to the Sacrament. God’s grace is at work when someone feels the need to celebrate this sacrament. I am humbled to be a part of this holy encounter. And, for some reason, I never seem to remember what a person has told me in confession. Still, some people are more comfortable going to confession at a neighboring parish rather than to their own pastor. The Church applies its harshest penalty of excommunication to a priest who ever reveals what is said in the confessional. The priest is not there as sheriff or judge but there to express God’s mercy.
In the past, the parish’s Advent and Lent Reconciliation Services did not include individual confession to a priest. The archbishop did not grant me the necessary permission to continue that custom. However, I hope you will experience this element of confession as a freeing and liberating prayer and the pathway of receiving the abundance of God’s mercy.
March 13, 2022
“When we feel the loving presence of God more deeply, we also are more aware of our sin and the need for God’s cleansing love.”
– Fr. Bill
Sacrament of Reconciliation
In preparation for our communal celebration of Reconciliation with individual confession on April 2, I am repeating a series of articles I used for our Advent Reconciliation.
It is the Holy Spirit, who moves the follower of Christ, who has sinned to come to the Sacrament of Penance. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, we seek deeper and deeper conversion to God. This process of conversion through the Sacrament of Reconciliation has four elements: contrition, confessions, penance, and absolution. Contrition is the most important element. Without it, the sacrament cannot happen.
Contrition is heartfelt sorrow and aversion for the sin committed together with the intention of sinning no more. This heartfelt sorrow flows from awareness of God’s love, made manifest in Jesus.
In the revision of the ritual from the Second Vatican Council, prayers focusing on fear of hell were replaced by prayers focusing on God’s love for us and our love for God. People my age and older may remember memorizing that Act of Contrition that included, “I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell.” While a few still use that prayer, the new Act of Contrition (from 1973) acknowledges “I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things.”
I like to use the analogy of a window. On a cloudy day, the window looks ok. However, on a bright sunny day all the dirt is more visible. When we feel the loving presence of God more deeply, we also are more aware of our sin and the need for God’s cleansing love. Contrition is not based on fear; its source is love. Fear could be based on an image of God as harsh judge. Love flows from an image of God as a loving parent who wants the best for us.
Next week, I will focus on the element of confession. This may be a new element for some, since the parish has a long history of general absolution without individual confession. The archbishop has not granted me the necessary permission to continue that practice. This does give us the opportunity to take a fresh look at this sacrament.
March 6, 2022
“I hope this will give us an
occasion to revisit this ritual of
forgiveness and explore anew
the nature and effects of this
sacrament.”
– Fr. Bill
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Our communal Lenten reconciliation service, with individual confession and absolution, will be Saturday, April 2 at 10:00 am. In preparation, I would like to repeat a series of bulletin articles I did for our Advent reconciliation service.
The Second Vatican Council decreed that the rite for Reconciliation be revised to “more clearly express the nature and effects of this sacrament.” In 1973, a new ritual was promulgated that not only revised the rite for individual confession, but also added a rite for reconciliation of several penitents with individual confession. This emphasized the relation of the sacrament to the community. The revision also added, for special occasions, a rite of reconciliation of several penitents with general confession and absolution.
Over the years, as general confession and absolution became more frequent, the Church began to limit its use. The concern was that it was replacing individual confession as the primary way of celebrating this sacrament of God’s mercy and love. Now, use of general confession and absolution requires the permission of one’s bishop.
Our parish has had a long history of celebrating general confession and absolution during Advent and Lent. Hoping to continue this custom, I requested permission from our archbishop to use this form of the sacrament. He has written, “While I appreciate your pastoral sensitivity in this matter, I do not believe this rises to the level of pastoral necessity for me to grant the requested permission.”
While some will be disappointed, I hope this will give us an occasion to revisit this ritual of forgiveness and explore anew “the nature and effects of this sacrament.”
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