Uncategorized

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.

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 Maries 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 Advent, 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.

Sacrament of 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.

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 wells  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 I 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.

Moving the Furniture

As we begin the new liturgical year and the season of Advent, I would like to move the furniture a bit. The way our church was onstructed allows for rearranging the furniture at times. I hear that in the past it was common to rearrange all the chairs. I just want to move one: the presider’s chair.

First, I would like to remove the platform upon which the chair stands. It takes up a lot of room and does not give much space for the Eucharistic Minsters to gather. I feel awkward giving them Communion standing three steps above them, but there is no room to go down and stand at the same level. It also feels awkward moving from the chair to the altar when I have to go down one-half step and up three.

To me, the platform makes the Presider’s Chair appear too throne-like and separate from the Assembly. In moving the chair, I would like to emphasize its relation to the Assembly, being in the midst of the Assembly. I think I am tall enough to be seen without standing on the platform. In fact, I may be the tallest pastor you have had.

In moving the presider’s chair, we will also move the cross from in between the altar and chair to behind the altar, emphasizing the relationship between the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and the gift of the Eucharist.

I would also like to highlight the altar a bit more by moving the candles and some of the plants from right next to it to a few feet from it. As those lovely plants grow, they are beginning to obscure the altar a bit.

These visual differences will mark the change in the liturgical season. I hope it may deepen our sense of what we do at Mass. Nevertheless, if it does not work, we can always rearrange the furniture again for the next liturgical season.

 

Sacrament of Reconciliation

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 frequently used, 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.”