Dear Family,
Last Saturday, I had a first. It was the first time in my eleven years as your Pastor that no one came for 4:00 p.m. Saturday Reconciliation (good old confession). As I think about it, the people who do come are a few regulars. So, in reality the vast majority of you are not here.
Of course, we have been unable to do the communal Penance services for a while. Another thing we can blame on COVID.
So, I would like to correct that by inviting you to our Communal Celebration of Reconciliation on April 7th, the Thursday before Palm Sunday, at 6:30 p.m.
The first thing I want to do is apologize. At some point, I mentioned my concern and the person I was talking to asked me, “Why do you think they don’t come?” The only honest answer I could give is that I have simply not preached/catechized/ talked/ pleaded – whatever word you want – sufficiently.
What is Reconciliation? It’s more than confession. That’s why the terminology changed when Vatican II revised our sacramental life. Sacraments are about personal encounters with God through His Son Jesus. Vatican II helped us see ‘attending church’ as very important family gatherings. It's not me and God; it’s we and God.
The word confession reminds me of sort of a sin bin where we come and dump. It’s a one-way operation. Thinking that way is one reason why someone will say, “I always say the same thing.” All they are doing is making room so they can refill with more of the same. We call those vices, bad habits. (Virtues are good habits.) Because we’re not really thinking about what we’re doing, after a while, it simply becomes boring AND unimportant.
How often you have heard me say, “Sin is the abuse of a relationship. There is nothing you can do that offends God that hasn’t hurt someone else, maybe beginning with yourself.” The word Reconciliation is more reflective of something happening between two persons, healing abuses.
Here we’re talking about me and the other members of the Body of Christ with whom I journey. If I know I’m going to meet someone, there’s some kind of preparation. In ‘sacrament land’, that’s what we call an examination of conscience – what have I done ‘conscientia’ – with knowledge?
A few years ago, we used an Adult Examination of Conscience that people found helpful. I am including it in this week’s bulletin. Do yourself a favor and find a quiet space to really think about it. Grab a piece of paper and jot down some of the things you think apply to yourself. Save that list and bring it to our Penance Service on April 7th.
By the way, that’s my Mom’s 110th birthday. Since I know she is a saint, ask her and all your saintly Moms to help us revive as we celebrate God’s love and mercy.
We’re starting at 6:30 so you’ll have light to travel with, and you will not be waiting in lines for hours.
I suspect you will be hearing thoughts like these for the second time this weekend. Mid-Lent penance focus seem well-timed.
You know how I feel about pushing money stuff, but I think this is important. Eight families (of whom I am one) contributed 66% ($78,800) of our ABCD goal of 119,234.63. To those other seven my heartfelt thanks and the thanks of the marginalized of our Archdiocese who benefit. Altogether 103 households pitched in so far, and to you also, my thanks. As I write, we are still $11,000 short of the goal. I’ll find Peter and ask him to give me the balance, but Paul would prefer you do it.
In Jesus,
