RECONCILIATION—HOW IT WORKS
JOURNAL QUESTION: Which is harder to do: Why? Honestly tell someone that you are sorry for doing something wrong to him/her, or Honestly tell someone that you forgive him/her for what he/she has done? Why?
TERMINOLOGY: Contrition: Sincere sorrow for one’s sins Reconciliation: Literally, “to come back together” Absolution: The release of the guilt of sin spoken through the priest Penance: Outward behavior showing an inward change of heart
TRULY A SACRAMENT For this to be a true sacrament, it must have: CONTRITION SATISFACTION/PENANCE CONFESSION
HOW MANY WAYS ARE THERE? Contrary to common knowledge, there are THREE rites of RECONCILIATION: Individual Celebration (most common) Communal Celebration followed by Individual Confession Communal Celebration (in emergencies)
EVOLUTION OF RECONCILIATION For the first 1,000 years of Christianity, Reconciliation was extremely severe Serious sinners were literally “excommunicated” They joined the “Order of the Penitents” The process took years Monks in Ireland popularized individual confessions, much like spiritual counseling This became the norm in the 13th century It wasn’t until Vatican II that the communal celebrations were “brought back”
Why the Sacrament? Sacraments are for the benefit of humans, not for the benefit of God Does God forgive us when we truly ask His forgiveness? YES!! Do we experience God’s forgiveness to a fuller extent when we hear it spoken from human lips after we confess it out loud?