 Fr.
Tom's Tomes March 26, 2006
Monday evening, March 27, 2006 we will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) at St. Columban parish. This celebration of the sacrament is called a communal penance service. The reason it is called a communal celebration is because we gather together as people of the parish to acknowledge the need we have in our lives for this sacrament. We begin with an opening song, greeting, opening prayer and readings from Scripture. Following the readings from Scripture there is a short homily followed by an examination of conscience, together we pray an act of contrition and the Our Father. Following this there is a time for individual confession and individual absolution. In a communal penance service people do not say out loud their sins. After all have received absolution then there is a closing song and dismissal. Sin affects each person. No one does not sin. There is a need to ask God's forgiveness in our lives through the sacrament of reconciliation. When we sin it affects the lives of others. Sin removes us from the presence of God and therefore we are less loving to God and others when we sin. Even when we think no one else knows about our sin because it hurts our relationship with God we therefore are less loving. As we approach Easter it is a good time to remember our need to be reconciled with God. We want to be as open to the grace of the sacrament of the Eucharist at Easter. To prepare for this we need to go to confession. If it has been a while since you were at confession now is the time to go. It is my hope this reconciliation service will be a time of individual forgiveness but also a time for the parish to experience the forgiveness and healing power of God in our midst. As we approach Easter then we will be the ministers of God's mercy in the world around us. We enter into the second half of the Season of Lent with the Fourth Sunday of Lent. If a person has slipped in their Lenten promises now is a time to renew the effort to do the best we can from now until Easter. I would encourage individuals who are able to come to Mass in the mornings to do so. Alternating between 7:30 am and 8:15 am provides an opportunity to come to start your day with prayer in the presence of God. We have Stations of the Cross on Friday evenings at 7:00 pm. Also on Friday, April 7, 2006 we will have Eucharistic Adoration from after morning Mass at 8:15 am until 5:30 pm. All of these possibilities provide for us an opportunity to spend more time with God in prayer. I would invite you not to put things in front of you before prayer. Make God very important in your life and show God how important he is by giving some extra time to him during the final weeks of Lent. As we continue the Season of Lent let us renew our commitment to the disciplines of prayer, fasting and giving alms. God bless you this week. |