RECONCILIATION: In his appearance to the Apostles on the first Easter Sunday night, Jesus "breathes on them and said: 'Receive the Holy Spirit'. If you forgive men's sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound'" (John 20:22-23).
The Rite of Reconciliation (Penance) is the sacrament of forgiveness which the Church provides healing grace and rejuvenation for the body and soul. We approach the sacrament of Penance to obtain pardon from the mercy of GOD for sins committed against him. At the same time we are reconciled with the Church, which we have wounded by our sins. By charity, example, and prayer we continually seek conversion. Compassionate forgiveness is clearly annunciated by Jesus "Peace be with you". As the Father has sent me, so I send You. "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them" (John 20:21, 23). Our human nature yearns for wholeness and ways to cope with our frailties and weaknesses. God, too, desires our wholeness and reaches out in love and forgiveness with the comforting words "You are forgiven".
Reconciliation was numbered among the seven sacraments at the Second Council of Lyons (1274). Through the centuries the Church recognized the Spiritual benefits of private confession and was standardized by the time the Council of Trent was convened. It was then that the priest was seen as a judge with the divine power to absolve. Vatican II brought about changes regarding the sacrament of penance to focus on our attitude toward sin and forgiveness rather than external changes.
The new emphasis of the rite of reconciliation is:
God is more interested in forgiving us than in listening to a "grocery list" of our shortcomings.
God is love and desires us to be at peace. As humans, we all sin, but there is always the divine plea to conversion. "Come back to me" calls us to Christ's healing forgiveness.
The "domino effect" of our failures increases evil if we do not reform our sinful ways. Sin breaks down the goodness in the world. "Beginning again" is an opportunity for us through the sacrament of penance with peace of heart and a clean slate.
There are three ways in which penance can be celebrated in the renewed rite: individual confession, communal penance, and general absolution. The healing power of Christ is made present through Christ's official representative, the ordained priest. It is not difficult to understand confession to a priest once we realize the fact that sin is not a private affair. We, as members of the Church, build up or tear down the Body of Christ in the world because our personal sins affect all of society.
RECONCILIATION: In his appearance to the Apostles on the first Easter Sunday night, Jesus "breathes on them and said: 'Receive the Holy Spirit'. If you forgive men's sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound'" (John 20:22-23).
The Rite of Reconciliation (Penance) is the sacrament of forgiveness which the Church provides healing grace and rejuvenation for the body and soul. We approach the sacrament of Penance to obtain pardon from the mercy of GOD for sins committed against him. At the same time we are reconciled with the Church, which we have wounded by our sins. By charity, example, and prayer we continually seek conversion. Compassionate forgiveness is clearly annunciated by Jesus "Peace be with you". As the Father has sent me, so I send You. "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them" (John 20:21, 23). Our human nature yearns for wholeness and ways to cope with our frailties and weaknesses. God, too, desires our wholeness and reaches out in love and forgiveness with the comforting words "You are forgiven".
Reconciliation was numbered among the seven sacraments at the Second Council of Lyons (1274). Through the centuries the Church recognized the Spiritual benefits of private confession and was standardized by the time the Council of Trent was convened. It was then that the priest was seen as a judge with the divine power to absolve. Vatican II brought about changes regarding the sacrament of penance to focus on our attitude toward sin and forgiveness rather than external changes.
The new emphasis of the rite of reconciliation is:
God is more interested in forgiving us than in listening to a "grocery list" of our shortcomings.
God is love and desires us to be at peace. As humans, we all sin, but there is always the divine plea to conversion. "Come back to me" calls us to Christ's healing forgiveness.
The "domino effect" of our failures increases evil if we do not reform our sinful ways. Sin breaks down the goodness in the world. "Beginning again" is an opportunity for us through the sacrament of penance with peace of heart and a clean slate.
There are three ways in which penance can be celebrated in the renewed rite: individual confession, communal penance, and general absolution. The healing power of Christ is made present through Christ's official representative, the ordained priest. It is not difficult to understand confession to a priest once we realize the fact that sin is not a private affair. We, as members of the Church, build up or tear down the Body of Christ in the world because our personal sins affect all of society.