Once we have called to mind our sins, we ask
forgiveness before God and man
Scriptures for meditation: 1 Corinthians 11:27-28
It follows that if one of you eats the Lord's bread or drinks from his
cup in a way that dishonors him, you are guilty of sin against the Lord's body
and blood. So then, you should each examine yourself first, and
then eat the bread and drink from the cup.
James 5:16
Therefore confess
your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:1435 Conversion
is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the
poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right, by the admission of faults
to one's brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of
conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of
persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one's cross each day and
following Jesus is the surest way of penance.
Edward Sri tells
us: In the Confiteor, we confess
our sins not only “to almighty God” but also “to you my brothers and sisters.”
The prayer thus follows the exhortation of James to “confess your sins to one
another” and it highlights the social effects of sin. Our sins affect our
relationship with God and with each
other. The Confiteor also challenges
us to consider seriously four areas in which we may have fallen into sin: “In
my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do.”
These four points serve as an excellent examination of conscience…. Finally let
us consider two points about the new translation of this prayer. Both
improvements more adequately reflect the Latin text of the Mass and help underscore
the seriousness of sin. First, instead of simply saying, “I have sinned” at the
beginning of this prayer, we now say “I have greatly sinned.” This reflects
David’s repentant words to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this
thing” (1 Chr 21:8). Second, instead of simply saying “through my own fault,”
we repeat it three times while striking our breasts in a sign of repentance: “…through my fault, through my fault, through
my most grievous fault.” This repetition more fully expresses sorrow over
our sins. When we are at fault over something small, we might simple say to the
person whom we have wronged, “I’m sorry.” But if it is a more serious matter
and we deeply feel sorrow over our
actions, we sometimes apologize several times and in varying ways: “I’m so
sorry…I really regret doing that…Please forgive me.” This line in the liturgy
helps us recognize that sinning against God is no light matter. We must take
responsibility for whatever wrong we have done, or the good that we should have
done but failed to do. Therefore, at Mass, I do not simply offer an apology to God.
In the Confiteor, I express heartfelt
contrition and humbly admit that I have sinned “through my fault, through my
fault, through my most grievous fault.”(The Mass,Ascension Press, 2010).
My thoughts: I
am reading an excellent book right now, titled “Forming Intentional Disciples". The author, Sherry Weddell, does extensive research into why so many Catholics
have left the Church, and one of the biggest reasons one group in the study gave
for leaving was that the liturgy was not lively and exciting. I think it is clear in our study of the Mass
that this is not the place to come to be entertained. It is the place to come
to meet God. It is the place where
the curtain is torn in two and heaven and earth unite in the Eucharist. If we
are going to face our Lord and Savior, then we must be clean. Pride will always
cause our backs to go up at the thought that we are pitiful sinners, but we
are, and when we ask God to forgive us, He does. He doesn't want any of us to
exist in our dirty souls; He wants us clean, and close to Him. “Ask and you
shall receive”, He tells us. So ask for forgiveness, and it is yours. Confess
your sins, and you are forgiven, and prepare to meet God. Lively and exciting? How about live-giving and exalting!
Prayer: 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.
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