Reconciliation

Good morning and welcome. As part of our larger program for the parents and guests, we will begin with a short introduction about what the sacrament of reconciliation means to each of us.

What is the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes Jesus' call to conversion present to us. It is called the sacrament of penance because it focuses our attention on penance and satisfaction. It is called the sacrament of confession, because confessing our sins is essential to our healing. It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, because through forgiveness God grants us peace. It is called the sacrament of reconciliation, because in it we are reconciled to God.

Why do we Need the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

The new birth of Baptism is conversion to Christ; it is the gift of the Holy Spirit. This new life received in Christian initiation does not necessarily abolish the weakness of human nature, because the inclination to sin remains even in the baptized. It is only with the help of God’s grace that we can prove ourselves worthy of his Love.

Through Jesus’ call to conversion we are directed toward holiness and eternal life. This call to conversion is an ongoing task for each of us as we follow the path of penance and renewal. Of course this task of conversion is not just a human work, it is the movement of the heart drawn and moved by grace to respond to the love of God. The process of conversion is offered to the community, because it is the Lord's call to a whole Church.

What is the Purpose of the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

The result of our response to conversion is not outward works, but the inward conversion of the heart. Nevertheless, we express this interior conversion through visible signs, gestures, and works of penance. Our conversion is often accompanied by pain, sadness, and repentance, compelling us to change.

It is a radical reorientation of our whole life; a turning away from the bad we have done and a turning toward the good we have failed to do. It can be expressed in many ways, including fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. It is also expressed in our daily life by concern for the poor, the exercise of justice, and by the admission of faults to our community. Through the examination of conscious we take up our cross each day and follow Jesus.

Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for within it is made present the Sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live the life of Christ are fed and strengthened.

What is the Process of the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is the process for conversion and repentance that was described for us by Jesus. The son’s fascination with freedom and his resultant misery and humiliation are a reflection of his repentance and decision to declare himself guilty before his father. His journey back and his father's welcome and joy are characteristic of the process of conversion. Only the heart of Christ who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the depth of His mercy.

Sin is anything that comes between us and God, and it is a rupture in our relationship with Him and our relationship with community. For this reason conversion entails both forgiveness by God and reconciliation with community; which are expressed and accomplished by the sacrament of reconciliation. Only God forgives sins and because Jesus is the Son of God he has the authority to forgive sins. He also made plain the effect of this forgiveness; receiving sinners at table is an expression of God's forgiveness and their return to the community.

By virtue of his divine authority he gives this power to men to exercise in his name. Christ willed that in prayer and life and action his whole Church should be a sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation that he acquired for us at the price of his body and blood. The exercise of the power of absolution was entrusted to the apostolic ministry which he charged with the ministry of reconciliation.

Reconciliation with the Church is inseparable from reconciliation with God. In Christ's words to Simon Peter, the power to forgive sins included the authority to reconcile sinners with the Church. The “keys to the kingdom of heaven” suggest that whomever they excluded from communion would be excluded from God, and whomever they received into communion would be welcomed by God.

What is the History of the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

Over the centuries the form of this sacrament has varied considerably. For the first Christians, long periods of public penance were required before receiving reconciliation. Later Irish missionaries, inspired by the monastic tradition, introduced a more private practice of penance. It avoided the prolonged completion of penitential works before reconciliation with the Church, but it also sacrificed the communal aspects of sin.

From that time on, the sacrament was performed in secret and included the possibility of repetition, allowing the forgiveness of grave sins and venial sins to be integrated into one sacramental celebration.

Nevertheless, the celebration of this sacrament retains the two essential elements: man’s action as he undergoes conversion through the action of the Holy Spirit, and God's action through the intervention of the Church, who through the bishop and his priests forgive sins in the name of Jesus Christ.

What is the Importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

The essential elements of this sacrament remain the same; the Father of Mercies is the source of all forgiveness. He effects the reconciliation of sinners through the Passover of his Son and the gift of his Spirit. God, the Father of Mercies, through the death and the resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself. Through the ministry of the Church, God gives us pardon and peace.

The sacrament of Penance was instituted for all members of the Church. It is to them that the sacrament of Reconciliation offers a new possibility to conversion, the recovery of God’s grace, a life of justification, and the opportunity for forgiveness, peace, and hope.

Thank you for coming this morning, does anyone have any questions?

*****
Assignment:

I am to imagine that I am teaching in the parish sacramental preparation program for First Reconciliation. Many parents of the children preparing for the sacrament have not celebrated Reconciliation since their first time. Prepare a lesson plan to teach the parents of children in the first reconciliation class the meaning of the sacrament and the importance of celebrating the Sacrament of Penance.

The paper is to be double spaced, 12 font and not to exceed 4 pages. The paper should include my understanding of the reading material and the class presentation without extensive verbatim quotes from either source.

*****
Evaluation:

This paper was submitted on time, and was eventually returned with comments and suggestions for improvement. His comments are worth passing on, and although I thought I nailed this one, there was room for improvement.

1) He felt that I had an adequate understanding of the reading and class presentation.

2) He felt that I had an adequate grasp of the pastoral implications of the material studied.

3) He wrote, To truly engage your audience you may with to include a discussion and feedback of their own experiences of forgivenss and their experiences of this Sacrament.

4) He wrote, Thank you for touching on the saliant points of the Sacrament.