In the second of the series of homilies aimed at helping people in our pews to understand and appreciate the revised translation of the Roman Missal, we focus our attention on the importance of the Penitential Act, the words we utter at the beginning of the liturgy. More, we attempt to provide an opportunity for a deeper appreciation of the gift of forgiveness offered freely by our God.
Listen in or read the text of this week's reflection entitled
Forgiveness freely offered
The Church celebrates the Sacrament of Baptism when people of faith bring their children to a believing community and ask for them to be accepted as members of Christ's body. Traditionally, parents are the ones who bring their children to a Christian community with this request, although at times grandparents or legal guardians are the ones who take this responsibility. The Church teaches that the waters of baptism have the power to wash away sin. A child who is baptised is washed clean of Original Sin and each time we enter a church, we sign ourselves with a cross, and we remember the day of our baptism, when we first heard God tell us that we are forgiven and free.
Each time we gather in prayer, we hear God's voice anew, speaking the same message, telling us that we have been transformed by the power of His love. In his time, the apostle Paul wondered about the true meaning of this gift. He had no doubt experienced the encouragement, consolation, compassion and sympathy that are found when we experience the gift of love from God. In fact it was God's love that allowed him to discover the truth that no matter how much he had previously fought against the Church, he himself was to become one of the Church's most ardent defenders. Have you ever noticed that those who have experienced great love and forgiveness are the ones who are most keenly aware of the ways they themselves need to be instruments of love and forgiveness for others? Each one of us has been called in love to follow in the footsteps of Christ. Whether we recognize it or not, each one of us is here because we have been forgiven and invited to be instruments of encouragement and compassion for others in our world.
When we gather for the celebration of any of the Sacraments, we begin by admitting that we ourselves are only human. We most often are very aware of our own frailty and weakness but in truth it is this awareness of our imperfection that allows us to appreciate even more the gift of God's mercy. Even in the time of the prophets, Ezekiel recognized that God calls all people to conversion. How else could the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful? The liturgy of the Church invites us to celebrate the forgiveness that brings us back to wholeness. At the beginning of the Eucharist, even before we do anything else, we pause to recognize our weakness and to express our belief in God's forgiveness and mercy.
The Penitential Act can take one of a number of forms. Sometimes when the Christian community gathers, we recite or sing the Greek words Kyrie eleison or the English equivalent Lord, have mercy. At other times we speak the words of the Confiteor: I confess to Almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. There is also a third option, more rarely used, but just as beautiful. After the period of silence during which we recognize our sin and our need for God’s forgiveness, the priest would say Have mercy on us Lord, and the congregation would respond with one voice for we have sinned against you. The priest would then continue Show us Lord, your mercy, and the congregation would respond and grant us your salvation.
Regardless of which form of this Act we may use, we are all in some way like each of the two sons spoken of in the Gospel today. There is a part of us that readily answers yes whenever God asks us to work in the vineyard, and there is a part of each of us that tries to deny God's invitation to friendship, to intimacy and to a relationship of unimaginable love, preferring to fill our days with all manner of other activity and excuses. In the end however, the Church gathers in prayer because we recognize that we are also the ones who first respond to the Father's invitation by denying his request, and then at some point change our minds and go into the fields. Thankfully, our God is always ready and willing to forgive.
Come then dear friends along the road of discipleship. Whether in song or in speech, let us ask for the gift of God's mercy, but let us do so trusting that the gift of forgiveness is always freely offered and freely given, for it is the gift of love, offered by God who is love.
Listen in or read the text of this week's reflection entitled
Forgiveness freely offered
The Church celebrates the Sacrament of Baptism when people of faith bring their children to a believing community and ask for them to be accepted as members of Christ's body. Traditionally, parents are the ones who bring their children to a Christian community with this request, although at times grandparents or legal guardians are the ones who take this responsibility. The Church teaches that the waters of baptism have the power to wash away sin. A child who is baptised is washed clean of Original Sin and each time we enter a church, we sign ourselves with a cross, and we remember the day of our baptism, when we first heard God tell us that we are forgiven and free.
Each time we gather in prayer, we hear God's voice anew, speaking the same message, telling us that we have been transformed by the power of His love. In his time, the apostle Paul wondered about the true meaning of this gift. He had no doubt experienced the encouragement, consolation, compassion and sympathy that are found when we experience the gift of love from God. In fact it was God's love that allowed him to discover the truth that no matter how much he had previously fought against the Church, he himself was to become one of the Church's most ardent defenders. Have you ever noticed that those who have experienced great love and forgiveness are the ones who are most keenly aware of the ways they themselves need to be instruments of love and forgiveness for others? Each one of us has been called in love to follow in the footsteps of Christ. Whether we recognize it or not, each one of us is here because we have been forgiven and invited to be instruments of encouragement and compassion for others in our world.
When we gather for the celebration of any of the Sacraments, we begin by admitting that we ourselves are only human. We most often are very aware of our own frailty and weakness but in truth it is this awareness of our imperfection that allows us to appreciate even more the gift of God's mercy. Even in the time of the prophets, Ezekiel recognized that God calls all people to conversion. How else could the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful? The liturgy of the Church invites us to celebrate the forgiveness that brings us back to wholeness. At the beginning of the Eucharist, even before we do anything else, we pause to recognize our weakness and to express our belief in God's forgiveness and mercy.
The Penitential Act can take one of a number of forms. Sometimes when the Christian community gathers, we recite or sing the Greek words Kyrie eleison or the English equivalent Lord, have mercy. At other times we speak the words of the Confiteor: I confess to Almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. There is also a third option, more rarely used, but just as beautiful. After the period of silence during which we recognize our sin and our need for God’s forgiveness, the priest would say Have mercy on us Lord, and the congregation would respond with one voice for we have sinned against you. The priest would then continue Show us Lord, your mercy, and the congregation would respond and grant us your salvation.
Regardless of which form of this Act we may use, we are all in some way like each of the two sons spoken of in the Gospel today. There is a part of us that readily answers yes whenever God asks us to work in the vineyard, and there is a part of each of us that tries to deny God's invitation to friendship, to intimacy and to a relationship of unimaginable love, preferring to fill our days with all manner of other activity and excuses. In the end however, the Church gathers in prayer because we recognize that we are also the ones who first respond to the Father's invitation by denying his request, and then at some point change our minds and go into the fields. Thankfully, our God is always ready and willing to forgive.
Come then dear friends along the road of discipleship. Whether in song or in speech, let us ask for the gift of God's mercy, but let us do so trusting that the gift of forgiveness is always freely offered and freely given, for it is the gift of love, offered by God who is love.
No comments:
Post a Comment