November 2003

PITH Press

Day 12: Penitential Rite and Kýrie, Eléison

"That you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"-- he said to the paralytic, "I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home." He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God." (Mk. 2:10-12)

Human nature is a fallen nature. That is not to say that we have nothing to offer, or that we’re not GOOD. We are created by Him, and as they told me years ago in CYO, "God doesn’t make junk!"

Whether it be the Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling of Holy Water, or the recitation of the Confíteor Deo (I Confess...), or the threefold invitations to repentance followed by the Kýrie (Lord, have mercy...), this part of the Holy Mass is our invitation to change and seek out God’s overwhelming mercy and love.

Many folks from the larger parishes remember when the priests "manned" the confessionals during Mass while another was the celebrant. But, while there is a unity of the Sacraments (they are all instituted by Christ to give grace)

there is also a needed separation to give more emphasis to one thing over another.

If we were to be confessing ourselves during the Holy Mass, then one mystery or the other would suffer from the lack of attention paid to it.

The priest invites us to look into our conscience with these or similar words: To prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins. We are to then briefly and interiorly acknowledge our sinfulness... not make a case by case internal mini-confession.

The words pronounced by the Priest: "May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life" are a genuine absolution for venial sins.

Once the priest pronounces the absolution after one of the Penitential forms we may and should, if we have not commited grave sin, go to communion in that Mass.

Catholic: Participate and say the words of your salvation with meaning!

Silent reflection and commentary

Psalm 6:5 "Turn, LORD, save my life; in your mercy rescue me."

Our Prayer Continues