Lenten Penance Service
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, we have entered the second week of Lent. Observance of Lent is a sign of our repentance and reconciliation with God. That is the reason why most of the Catholic faithful participate in the Lenten Penance Services.
In the book of the prophet Joel we read, “Yet even now,” says the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and repents of evil.” (Jl. 2:12-13)
Like every year, this year we also have the Lenten Penance Service in our Church on March 17. Let us prepare ourselves to reconcile with God. When we attended the first communion class, we learned about the five elements that make a good confession. They are:
Examination of Conscience: - Here we examine our life after our last confession, find out the mistakes that happened, or the sins committed during this time in our life. We can make a good examination of conscience with the help of the Ten Commandments or the teachings of the Church.
Repentance: - Once we recognize all the sins we committed, we repent for our sins. We feel sorry that we hurt our loving Father through our sins.
Resolution: - Repentance helps us make a strong decision. That is what we say in the act of contrition that “I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.” With this firm resolve we move to the confessional.
Confession: - Here we tell all our sins openly and honestly, including the number of times, if possible, each sin was committed. Then, listen to the priest and follow his instructions. Then the priest, acting in the person of Jesus Christ, will absolve (forgive) us of our sins. The priest will ask us to do a penance, usually some prayers or some action.
Penance: - Our penance is to show that we are truly sorry for our sins and to help us avoid sin in the future. This is done when we return to the pew, or very soon after we leave the church. Tell God that we are thankful for the grace of reconciliation that we have just received.
Let us remember what God said through the prophet Isaiah. (Is. 1:18)
“Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they may become white as wool.”
Have a blessed and fruitful Lent.
- Fr. John Samuel