The Sacrament of Penance 2nd Rite

Introductory Rite Hymn Welcome Opening Prayer

We gather as a group to Sing, to Listen and to Pray for reconciliation.

Celebration of the Word We listen to one or more texts, including a Gospel text. Homily

We listen to the Gospel that we have prepared together beforehand. Today it is the Gospel story of Zacchaeus

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycomore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.

So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him.

All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’

Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’ Luke 19:1-10

The Homily The priest speaks to us about the message in the Gospel story that we have just heard.

Reconciliation Rite Examination of Conscience The Lord’s Prayer Sign of Peace Individual Confession Individual Penance Absolution

Examination of Conscience Examination of Conscience. With the priest we think about the things that we have done that have broken our relationship with God, with others or with the environment.

We say the Our Father together.

“Peace be with you” We answer, “And also with you,” as we shake hands with those around us.

The priest welcomes us when we go to talk to him one at a time.

We talk about the things that we want to change in our lives.

The priest listens and gives us advice The priest listens and gives us advice. He asks us to do something that will help us to be better in the future. This might be a prayer or an action or both. This is Penance.

We say a Prayer of Sorrow, it can be our own or the Act of Contrition We say a Prayer of Sorrow, it can be our own or the Act of Contrition. ‘O my God I am …’

The priest gives us Absolution. We respond by saying “Amen”

Concluding Rite Hymn or prayer praising God’s mercy Concluding Prayer of thanksgiving Blessing Dismissal

The Priest says a Prayer of Thanksgiving

We all receive a final Blessing

We go out to Love and Serve the Lord.

Thank you to Fr Paul Mercovich and the students of St Joseph’s School, Charlton. Copyright Noreen McLeish Religious Education Centre PO Box 576 Ballarat