“LOST”……… and “FOUND” in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

A
Sacrament of Healing and Forgiveness
“The power of collaboration and community support facilitate healing”
St. Vincent de Paul”

OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson the students are expected to:

Doctrine:
- To identify the factors which disrupt our relationship with God, our inner
selves, and the whole of God’s creation.
- Analyze the significance of the sacrament of reconciliation in addressing
contemporary social, cultural, and moral challenges.
- Critically evaluate its capacity to promote forgiveness, healing and
reconciliation.
Moral:
- Assess how the sacraments foster reconciliation and healing within the
faith community and examine its potential to repair ruptured
relationships, build trust and promote communal harmony.
- Create a gratefulness post.
Worship:
- Realized that they are more than anything else especially their weaknesses.
- Acknowledge one’s sinfulness and receive the sacrament of reconciliation
through confession.
Introduction
We all have hobbies – activities we like to do regularly because of some gain
that we get. And we have preferences and favorites, those that we pick over other
options that may be available. When it comes to temptations, mistakes and sins, we
may also have those that we consciously or unconsciously choose or make over
and over. History can repeat itself even when it comes to the things we actually
should not do.
Whether from our self or from others, we could gather lessons on what to already
avoid because they are hurtful and wrong. But it seems that it is part of our human
limitation that we can sometimes have a tendency to forget or ignore what we
already know. And If we could easily learn and move away from our own ways of
transgressing, perhaps the Father would not have had need to send His own son to
save us. Because of love, God saw it important and necessary to offer to relieve us
of what ails and diminishes us.
The Lord has been doing everything for us, including the fact that Jesus came to
save us.
To acknowledge these is not to punish our self for the past or for our weaknesses.
Instead, we hope to be moved towards more humility, forgiveness, and the resolve
to be better. Christ spent his life on earth to be with us, to understand us deeply and
to love us completely. With our awareness of our habitual and favorite sins or
mistakes, may we realize as well the truth that gives reason for our renewal: no
matter how many times we repeat our failings, the Lord will continue to forgive
and provide us new chances. God’s love is wider, deeper and more encompassing
than any of our shortcomings.
In this topic we will be discussing the sacraments of healing and forgiveness.

See
What are those things that we are grateful for?
A. Create a gratefulness post and share the fruit of their gratefulness
(Take a photo, record a short video, create an artwork Ex. Thank you for the music,
privilege, family, someone I truly care, etc.)
Guide Questions.
1. How would you describe your relationship with yourself and with God at the
moment? How do you feel about this?
2. Were there moments in your life when you felt like "leaving home"? What were
you looking for?

Discern

I. Scriptural Basis and Interpretation

The Parable of the Prodigal Son.
Luke 15: 11-19
 11 Then Jesus[b] said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his
father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his
property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to
a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent
everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15
So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields
to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with[c] the pods that the pigs were
eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, “How many of
my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will
get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and
before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired
hands.’”

A. The Request

- The text begins in Verses 11 and 12: “Then Jesus said, there was a man who had two
sons. The younger of them said to his father: Father give me the share of the property
that will belong to me.
- There's something in the request.

1. You never ask for your share of the inheritance. It is given to you.
2. When do you receive your share of the inheritance?
- Only or usually when the parent or parents have passed on.
- The younger son asks for it while his father was still alive and in a sense, his request is
just a nice roundabout way of saying, “Father, I am impatient for you to die.” “Tay, ang
tagal mo namang mamatay. at dahil hindi ako makapaghintay, akin ana yung mana na
laan para sa akin.”

B. “Leaving Home” and “Hearing Voices”

What the younger son’s leaving might mean?

- Over and over again, we left home. We have become deaf to the voice that calls us the
beloved. We have left the only place where we can hear that voice and have gone off
desperately hoping that we would find somewhere else what we could no longer find at
home.
- Henri Nouwen says, “There are many other voices, voices that are loud, full of promises
and very seductive. These voices say: go out and prove that you are worth something.
Prove yourself!

- Jesus had also heard a voice calling him the beloved, he was led to the desert to hear
those other voices. “If you are the son of God, turn these stones into bread. If you are the
son of God, climb the top of that temple throw yourself down. I mean, surely you won't
get hurt. When people see that you came out of that experience unscathed, they will
follow you”. And then the third temptation was essentially a temptation to power.

- Nouwen continues “they told him to prove that he was worth love in being successful
popular and powerful. Those same voices are not unfamiliar to you. They are always
there and always; they reach into those inner places where you question your own
goodness and doubt your self-worth.

- The moment you begin to doubt your goodness, you get into trouble. Because the
moment you begin to doubt your goodness, your self-worth, you end up doing things…
sometimes crazy things to try to prove that you're worth something.

- Henry Nouwen says the greatest trap in our life is not success, it's not popularity it's not
even power. He says the greatest trap in our life is self-rejection.

- ”. As soon as someone accuses me or criticizes me… as soon as I am rejected, left alone

or abandoned. That proves once again that I am a nobody. I am no good. I deserve to be
pushed aside, forgotten, rejected, and abandoned.

- “Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of life because it contradicts the sacred voice that
calls us the beloved. Being the beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.” The
root of all sinfulness, all that blocks and hinders life, is the refusal to believe that I am
worth being loved.

- There's something in the repeating refrain in Genesis 1 where at the end of every day of
creation, the text says: “And God saw it was good.”

- Why does God have to remind himself that creation is good? Isn’t it He /She is a God?
It's God who needs reminding that creation is good. It's the creation… it's you and me,
who need reminding that regardless of what you've done in your life, at your core, You
are good.

- Like the older brother, our problem is ultimately not the undeserved and excessive love
that is seemingly shown to someone else. Our problem is more that we have never really
heard in our hearts the gentle words that the Father spoke to the older brother: “My child,
 you have always been with me and all I have is yours, but we, you and I, need to be
happy and dance because your younger brother was dead and has come back to life!

3. The “Coming Home”

- “A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country.
When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place. So, he went and hired himself
out to one of the citizens who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.”

- For the Jews, pigs were considered the most unclean animals… then there is something
here as far as the fate of the younger son is concerned. When he ends up being someone
who fed pigs.

- The text says that he had reached the “lowest of the low”. And then, the text says: “He
would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one gave
him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father's hired
hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger. I will get up and
go to my father and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before
you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me like one of your hired hands.”

- So, this is the moment of conversion, humility and repentance. If you go back to verse
17, it begins by saying: “Coming to himself…”

- In other editions of the bible, the text will say ‘coming to his senses’. (Sa Tagalog, nang
natauhan siya. Ba’t siya natauhan? Gutom siya.) In a way, it's hunger that makes him
remember the home he had left.

- This will make us also realize the importance of fasting every time we commemorate the
Lenten season. That humans shall not live by bread alone. There is more than the
material or the physical aspect in our life and that is our relationship with our God vis a
vis our relationship with the whole of God’s creation. In moments of difficulties, there is
always “something more” in life. It is in our experiences of “hunger” that we come to
realize this “Fire” within which gives us direction and purpose. ( Fr. Ron Rolheiser,
OMI)

- The younger son knows he messed up. He squandered the share of the inheritance which
he should have used to support his father in his father's old age. So he lost it! What is the
solution?

- He'll work for it. He will pay up for that which he lost. He has to pay for his
wrongdoings. He has to pay for his debts. He knows he screwed up; he's coming back;
 he's gonna pay up; but he's not really coming home. in a sense he's coming back on his
own terms.

- “He knows that he is still the son but tells himself that he has lost the dignity to be called
son and prepares himself to accept the status of a man so that he will at least survive.”

- Nouwen says, “There is repentance“ but not a repentance in the light of the immense
love of a forgiving God. It is a self-serving repentance that offers the possibility of
survival.

- It's like saying: I couldn't make it on my own. I have to acknowledge that God is the only
resource left to me. I will go to God and ask for forgiveness in the hope that I will
receive a minimal punishment and be allowed to survive on the condition of hard labor.

- One of the greatest tragedies of the spiritual life is our image of a God who is a harsh and
judgmental God. A god who makes me feel guilty; a God who makes me worry about the
mistakes I have done; a god who in a sense scares me into thinking of all these apologies
that I will need to make for him to take me back.

- Nouwen said: “One of the greatest challenges of the spiritual life is to receive God's
forgiveness. There is something in us humans that keeps us clinging to our sins and
prevents us from letting God erase our past and offer us a completely new beginning.

- Sometimes, it even seems as though we want to prove to God that our darkness is too
great to overcome. While God wants to restore us to the full dignity of being His/Her
children, we keep insisting that we will settle for being a hired servant.

- But do we truly want to be restored to the full responsibility of the son? Do I truly want
to be so totally forgiven that the completely new way of living becomes possible?” Do I
trust myself and want to break away from my deep-rooted rebellion against God and
surrender myself to God's love so that a new person can emerge?

- The parable highlights the boundless love and mercy of God, represented by the father in
the story. Despite the younger son's reckless behavior and betrayal, the father lovingly
welcomes him back, embracing him and celebrating his return. This reflects the
unconditional love and forgiveness that God extends to humanity, no matter how far we
have strayed or sinned.

- The parable portrays the journey of the younger son, who squanders his inheritance and
finds himself in a state of desperation and brokenness. His decision to return home
represents genuine repentance, acknowledging his mistakes and seeking reconciliation
with his father. It highlights the human experience of sinfulness and the transformative
power of repentance in our relationship with God.
- The parable emphasizes the joy in heaven when a sinner repents. The father's response to
the younger son's return signifies God's desire for reconciliation and the restoration of
the divine-human relationship. It illustrates the transformative power of forgiveness and
the celebration that accompanies the reconciliation between a repentant sinner and God.

- The parable also introduces the character of the older son, who represents the self-
righteousness and lack of forgiveness. His resentment towards his brother's return reveals
the danger of pride, jealousy, and a legalistic mindset that can hinder reconciliation. It
serves as a reminder of the need for humility and the willingness to forgive others as God
has forgiven us.

- The parable highlights the importance of the Christian community in fostering

reconciliation and forgiveness. The father's command to celebrate the return of the
younger son reflects the Church's role in embracing and supporting those who seek
reconciliation with God and the community.
-
- The Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches about God's boundless mercy, the transformative
power of repentance, the importance of forgiveness, and the joy of reconciliation. It
invites us to reflect on our own need for forgiveness, to embrace the call to repentance,
and to participate in the ministry of reconciliation within the Church and the world.

- Other scriptural references of the Sacrament of Reconciliation:

- A. Matthew 3:2-3: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." This call to
repentance, proclaimed by John the Baptist, highlights the necessity of turning away
from sin and preparing one's heart for the coming of Christ.
- B. Matthew 4:17: "From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" Jesus Himself emphasizes the importance of repentance
as a central theme in His teaching.
- C. Matthew 18:21-22: Jesus teaches about the need for forgiveness in the story of the
unforgiving servant. He emphasizes the importance of extending forgiveness to others, as
God has forgiven us.
- E. John 20:22-23: After His resurrection, Jesus appears to the disciples and gives them
the power to forgive sins: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they
are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld." This passage is
often understood as Jesus granting the authority to the apostles and their successors to
forgive sins in His name.
- F. James 5:16: "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that
you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
This verse encourages the practice of confession and mutual support within the Christian
community.

II. Insights on the Sacrament of Reconciliation

1. Bridges us to God’s unconditional love.
 - According to Mother Theresa, “Small things done with love will change the world”.
When the son returned home, no questions were asked by the Father but instead
accepted the son wholeheartedly. It simply shows how loving and compassionate
God is. God’s love is unconditional. A love that goes beyond our limitations and
failures.
- When we encounter people who forgive our mistakes, allow, and accept us for who
we are, would help us realize the person that we are more than anything else. We are
more than our weaknesses, we are more than our academic requirements, grades, etc.

2. The human response of “coming home.”

- “There is no other place like home”. All of us would agree to this famous saying. If we
achieve something we are excited to share it with our friends, to the family and we yearn
to go home because we wanted to share it with our parents and loved ones. If unpleasant
things happen to us in school, in our relationships with others, we desire to be home.
- If we are at home, we can eat our favorite food, we can rest and get rejuvenated. We can
express more freely ourselves and we can easily get in touch with our senses.
- Sacrament of Reconciliation would help us be at home with ourselves, others and God. It
can help us get in touch with our senses and improve the way we relate with others.
Through the sacrament, it will help us focus on the things that are important, move on
and start all over again with our life.

3. Satisfies Hunger and to “yearn for more”

- Sacrament of Reconciliation brings healing and wholeness.
- ( work in progress….. Coping with Grief and Loss “ Positive Mental Health ( PMH) for
Life in Abundance: A Study on John 10:10 “ Indian Journal of Positive Psychology:
Hisor 9,no.1 ( March 2018): 184-189)

4. Helps to seek for what is “lost”

- Jesus told the people of the parable of the lost sheep,
‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the
ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?
And once the man finds that lost sheep, he carries it on his shoulders, and he rejoices.
And when he comes home, He calls together his friends and neighbors, to join him in the
rejoicing.
- The parable of the lost sheep, ends with Jesus saying: Ah just so, I’ll tell you, there will
be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous
people who need no repentance.
- Another parable the story is about a woman who loses her coin. The text says; a woman
having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house,
and search carefully until she finds it. “When she has found it. She called together her
friends, the neighbors, and says to them: 'Rejoice with me for I have found the coin that I
have lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one
sinner who repents.”
- If you go through these first two parables, there’s a certain commonality as far as their
elements are concerned:

A. Something is lost.
B. There’s a searching for that which is lost
C. There’s joy at finding.
4. There’s celebration with friends

- When we are “lost” we need repentance and we need to “come home”with ourselves,
others and with God. Like the younger son, we have to acknowledge that God is the only
resource left to us so, therefore we have to go to God and ask for forgiveness. We cannot
do it alone by ourselves. We need others, because we are a church. May we realize the
importance of our being a member of a church community.

- In Pope Francis’ “Fratelli Tutti” it emphasizes fraternity and social friendship in order to
build a more just and a peaceful world. It is in this spirit that we can find the “lost” in our
communities. This gives us the assurance that we have a community who comforts us
every time we are struggling, encourages and supports, helps us discern what is right and
wrong and most especially a community who will look after us every time we are lost.

- The sacrament of reconciliation will help us to turn away from sins and from actions that
hinders us to be the person that God wanted us to become, living life to the fullest. It
helps us build ourselves as well as our relationship with others. The challenge & the call
for us is to find what has been lost and repair our broken relationship with God, others
and the whole of God’s creation.

- “Christus Vivit” of Pope Francis invites the young to an encounter and friendship with
Jesus. And this can only be possible if we are “home” with ourselves and with God.
Coming home would also mean we have a clear grasp of ourselves and a clear grasp of
what we believe.

- Home literally means a place where we live. No matter how our homes look like, we
take care of it because we take pride in our homes. We make sure that it is clean and
organized for the safety of all the members of our family. The way we take good care of
ourselves is also the way we take good care of our homes. Who we are as a person
reflects what kind of home do we come from.
- Then, how about our world? The world is known to be our “common home”. How do we
take care of our world?
We made mention about our personal/communal experiences of being “lost”. Are we also
aware that our “common home” is almost “lost”?
 Nowadays, humanity is confronted with grave threat for deep ecological crises, countries
are getting overpopulated, waste management is out of control, global warming is
extremely rapid and climate is extremely changing phenomena that galvanize natural
hazards such as pandemic, floods, landslides, drought, scarcity of resources,etc. In turn,
these occurrences can exacerbate contemporary issues like poverty, economic inequality,
social injustices, violence, lack of education, healthcare insecurity, and discrimination,
things that aggravate the state of our lives especially those who are marginalized,
oppressed, and ostracized. Of course, if the Earth is being helplessly attacked, it will
fight back through giving us ecological crisis and interminable cycle of adversity.

If we observe things closely, we can perceive that these repercussions are not sent from
God these are caused by no one else but us, humans. Creations who destroy their own
home, creations who lack of concern, discipline, humanity, sense of responsibility, and
dignity – things that Pope Francis found very alarming and urgent, so he published
Laudato Si, a forceful call on everyone to care for the Creation that makes our lives
possible.
- We commit sin if we missed to do the things that are expected from us (sin of omission).
We are so pre-occupied with a lot of things, of ourselves and others but we missed
something very important because we just took for granted our “common home”, the
earth, our environment. We just did anything that we want without considering the
common good and neglecting nature for this common good.
- Creation is God’s gift of “Kagandahang-loob” that we may experience God’s offer of life
and love. We are not allowed therefore to hurt ourselves, other persons, and the whole of
God’s creation because to do so is “betrayal” to our basic calling to be true to God’s offer
of love. Meaning, we give what is due to others. And giving what is due to God’s
creation is justice.
- Destroy our own home, lack of concern, discipline, sense of responsibility, and dignity is
injustice that we have done to our “common home” which is our mother earth.
- The state of our present world, with its scars and wounds, urges us to be God’s mukha ng
kagandahang-loob by reconciling ourselves with others and the integrity of creation.
- Reconciliation should be based on justice. The theme of Laudato Si is anchored on the
power of the insistence that the threat of ecological crisis is a central concern for both
governments and for church. In relation to this, Pope Francis pointed out that the cry of
the poor and the cry of the earth are interconnected and should be addressed
concurrently.
- In Chapter 2 of Laudato Si Pope Francis emphasized that our desire to care for the earth
‘can’ and ‘should’ easily be found in our Christian values and faith. Indeed, protecting
our home is not only a “good thing to do” since it should not be seen as a voluntary act
of kindness, but it should also be instilled to us as an innate moral obligation.

III. Significance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as the Sacrament of Penance or Confesssion
holds distinct features.These features contribute to its unique role in the spiritual life of
believers. Here are some distinct features of the Sacrament of Reconciliation:
1. Forgiveness of Sin: The primary purpose of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is the
forgiveness of sins. Through the sacramental act of confessing one's sins to a priest,
accompanied by sincere contrition and a resolve to amend one's life, the penitent receives
absolution and is reconciled with God and the Church.

2. Individual Confession and Absolution: The Sacrament of Reconciliation involves the

personal confession of sins to a priest, who acts as the minister of the sacrament. This
individual confession allows for a confidential and personal encounter with God's mercy,
providing the penitent with guidance, counsel, and the assurance of God's forgiveness.

3. Examination of Conscience: Prior to receiving the sacrament, the penitent is encouraged

to reflect on their thoughts, words, and actions in light of God's commandments and the
teachings of the Church. This examination of conscience helps to identify and
acknowledge one's sins and prepares the penitent for a sincere and honest confession.

4. Contrition and Repentance: The Sacrament of Reconciliation requires genuine contrition

or sorrow for sins committed, accompanied by a firm resolve to avoid sin in the future.
This aspect emphasizes the importance of interior conversion and a sincere desire to turn
away from sin and grow in holiness.

5. Confession to a Priest: The sacramental aspect of confessing sins to a priest is significant

in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The priest acts as a visible representative of Christ
and the Church, imparting the forgiveness of sins through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The priest provides spiritual guidance, offers counsel, and facilitates the process of
reconciliation and healing.

6. Absolution and Reconciliation: After the confession of sins, the priest imparts
absolution, pronouncing God's forgiveness upon the penitent. This absolution restores
the penitent's relationship with God and the Church, bringing about reconciliation and a
renewed state of grace.

7. Penance and Satisfaction: As part of the sacramental process, the penitent is assigned a
penance, which may involve prayers, acts of charity, or other forms of spiritual practice.
 The penance serves as a means of expressing sorrow, making amends, and fostering
ongoing conversion.

8. Seal of Confession: The Seal of Confession is a sacred obligation that ensures the
confidentiality of the sacramental conversation between the penitent and the priest. This
seal ensures that the priest must maintain strict confidentiality and may never reveal the
sins confessed, even under the threat of persecution or death.

IV. Elements of the Sacramental Rite

1. Preparation: The penitent prepares for the sacrament by examining their conscience,
reflecting on their actions and attitudes, and identifying their sins or areas in need of
repentance. This introspection helps the penitent to approach the sacrament with sincerity
and humility.

2. Greeting and Sign of the Cross: The penitent approaches the confessional or the
designated space for the sacrament and may begin with a greeting, such as "Bless me,
Father, for I have sinned." They make the Sign of the Cross as an act of reverence and a
reminder of their baptismal identity.

3. Confession of Sins: The penitent articulates their sins, both in kind and number, to the
priest. This confession is a sincere acknowledgment of personal wrongdoing and a desire
for reconciliation with God and the Church. The penitent may express their sins using
specific language or a more general description.

4. Act of Contrition: The penitent expresses contrition or sorrow for their sins, either by
reciting a prescribed prayer of contrition or using their own words. This act of contrition
reflects the penitent's genuine remorse, commitment to conversion, and desire for God's
forgiveness.

5. Counsel and Spiritual Guidance: The priest may offer counsel, guidance, or spiritual
advice to the penitent based on their confession. This guidance aims to help the penitent
grow in faith, overcome sin, and live a more virtuous life. It can include practical
suggestions, prayers, or insights to support the penitent's spiritual journey.

6. Absolution: The priest, acting in the person of Christ, extends absolution to the penitent.
This is the moment of forgiveness and reconciliation, where the priest pronounces the
 words of absolution, such as "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the penitent
receives the forgiveness of sins.

7. Penance: The penitent receives a penance or acts of reparation to be performed after

receiving absolution. The penance serves as a sign of the penitent's commitment to
conversion and a means of expressing their willingness to make amends. The penance is
typically a prayer, Scripture reading, or act of charity.

8. Dismissal and Blessing: The priest concludes the sacramental rite by offering a dismissal
and imparting a blessing upon the penitent. This sends the penitent forth with God's grace
and encouragement to live a renewed life in accordance with the Gospel.

V. Relevance of sacrament of reconciliation

Forgiveness and Healing: The Sacrament of Reconciliation offers individuals the opportunity to
experience God's forgiveness and receive spiritual healing. Through the sacramental encounter,
the penitent receives absolution, which brings about the remission of sins and restores their
relationship with God. This experience of forgiveness and healing provides deep spiritual
comfort, peace, and renewal.

Reconciliation and Communal Harmony: The sacrament fosters reconciliation not only between
the individual and God but also within the faith community. By promoting the practice of
seeking forgiveness and offering reconciliation, the Sacrament of Reconciliation contributes to
the restoration of broken relationships, healing of wounds caused by sin, and fostering communal
harmony.

Personal Conversion and Growth: The Sacrament of Reconciliation plays a vital role in personal
conversion and spiritual growth. Through the sacramental encounter, individuals are invited to
examine their conscience, acknowledge their sins, and seek repentance. This process of self-
reflection and conversion helps individuals grow in self-awareness, self-discipline, and virtue,
leading to a deeper relationship with God and a holier way of life.

Pastoral Accompaniment and Guidance: The Sacrament of Reconciliation provides an

opportunity for individuals to receive pastoral accompaniment and guidance from the priest. The
priest, acting as a spiritual guide, can offer counsel, encouragement, and practical advice to help
the penitent overcome sin, grow in virtue, and navigate spiritual challenges.

Sacrament of Mercy and Hope: The Sacrament of Reconciliation embodies God's abundant
mercy and offers hope to those burdened by sin and guilt. It assures individuals that, no matter
the gravity of their sins, God's mercy is always available and ready to forgive and reconcile. This
message of hope is especially relevant in times of despair, shame, and spiritual struggle.

Sacrament of Encounter and Encouragement: The sacramental encounter in Confession provides

a tangible and personal encounter with God's mercy, love, and forgiveness. It offers a safe and
confidential space for individuals to share their struggles, find solace, and receive
encouragement. This encounter can be a source of great spiritual strength, motivating individuals
to persevere in their journey of faith.

Sacrament of Reaffirming Identity: The Sacrament of Reconciliation allows individuals to

reaffirm their identity as beloved children of God. By receiving forgiveness and reconciliation,
individuals are reminded of their inherent dignity and worth as members of the Christian
community. This reaffirmation of identity can be empowering and transformative, fostering a
sense of belonging and purpose.

VI. Implications for the Penitent’s experience of Forgiveness.

Personal Encounter with God's Mercy: The sacrament provides a personal encounter with God's
mercy and forgiveness. Through the priest, who acts in the person of Christ, the penitent hears
the words of absolution, assuring them of God's pardon. This encounter allows the penitent to
experience the depth of God's love and mercy in a tangible and transformative way.
Freedom from Guilt and Shame: The sacrament offers liberation from the burden of guilt and
shame caused by sin. By honestly confessing their sins, the penitent unburdens themselves and
receives forgiveness. This experience of being released from guilt and shame brings relief and
restores the penitent's sense of dignity and worthiness in the eyes of God.
Reconciliation with God and the Church: Through the sacrament, the penitent is reconciled with
God and the Church. The forgiveness received in the sacrament restores the penitent's
communion with God and reconciles them with the Christian community. This reconciliation
brings about a deep sense of peace, unity, and restored relationship with God and the Church.

Spiritual Healing and Renewal: The forgiveness received in the sacrament brings about spiritual
healing and renewal. It cleanses the soul from the effects of sin, strengthens the penitent's
relationship with God, and empowers them to live a holier and more virtuous life. The penitent
experiences a spiritual rejuvenation, embracing the opportunity for ongoing conversion and
growth in holiness.

Grace for Overcoming Sin: The sacrament provides the penitent with the grace necessary to
resist future temptations and overcome sin. Through the sacramental encounter, the penitent
receives the strengthening and empowering grace of the Holy Spirit, enabling them to grow in
virtue and live a life more aligned with God's will. This grace supports the penitent in their
ongoing journey of faith and moral integrity.

Deepened Trust in God's Mercy: Through the experience of forgiveness in the sacrament, the
penitent's trust in God's mercy deepens. They come to recognize the boundless and unconditional
love of God, understanding that no sin is beyond His forgiveness. This trust in God's mercy
encourages the penitent to approach Him with confidence, seek forgiveness when needed, and
trust in His transformative power.

The penitent's experience of forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation is transformative,

bringing freedom, healing, reconciliation, and renewed hope. It strengthens the penitent's
relationship with God and the Church, empowers them to resist sin, and deepens their trust in
God's merciful love. It is an encounter with divine grace that offers the penitent a fresh start and
an opportunity for ongoing conversion and holiness.

ACT

Prayer for Reconciliation

Gathering music……

Leader: Our heart is the location where conversion to Christ takes place. Our heart is the
home within, the final destination of God’s coming. As we approach our God, in our
particular historical situation, we are not spared of the feelings of fear, manifested in
different forms in the varied situations and context in our journey.

Gospel Reading: Luke 15: 11-19 Parable of the Prodigal Son

Moments of silence for reflection……………….

All: Loving God, you are just and compassionate, be with us in our journey. We look to
the future, to the days ahead of us, and yet we know we already have a need of
forgiveness and healing.

Reader 1: We ask forgiveness of you, our God, for becoming too impatient when we
were too busy, too distracted, too much in a hurry.

Reader 2: We ask forgiveness for being too quick to speak or act, for not taking time to
act or pray.

Reader 3: We ask forgiveness for falling into the same mistakes again and again, which
cause hurt to others and ourselves.

Reader 4: We ask forgiveness for taking too much time, for wasting time before we act,
for being concerned about appearances and approval, for not trusting in your absolute
love for us.

Reader 5: We ask forgiveness for the smallness of mind in our thoughts, for narrowness
of heart in our actions. Help us to accept others who think and act differently from us.

Reader 6: We ask forgiveness for letting fatigue discourage us, for being cynical about
the worth of our own efforts and the power of your grace, for minimizing the urgency of
the gospel.

Reader 7: We ask forgiveness for taking for granted not giving our best to take good care
of our “common home”.

All: Loving God, you know our weaknesses and the extent of our failure to love you and
one another. You see the insincerity of our efforts as well. Look upon us who have been
offended and lift our hearts. Look upon us who have given offense and help us heal the
hurt we have caused as we willingly with your help, forgive one another. We ask you to
forgive us and fill us with your healing power and grace. This we ask through Christ our
Lord. Amen.

Silence………( Instrumental music)

Individual Confession: ( ST Chapel or Confession area)
Glory to you source of all being, as it was in the beginning and will be forever. Amen.

REFERENCES:

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition ©
2010, 1991,1986
Catechism of the Catholic Church

Catechism for Filipino Catholics

Nouwen, Henri.The Return of the Prodigal Son, Doubleday & Co.1992

Pope Francis “Fratelli Tutti”,2020

Rolheiser, Ronald. The Fire Within: Desire, Sexuality, Longing & God, Paraclete Press
2021

Pope Francis, “Laudato Si’,” Www.vatican.va, last modified May 24, 2015,
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-
francesco_20150524_enciclicalaudato-si.html.

Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD, “YouTube,” Www.youtube.com, last modified 2022, accessed
May 23, 2023,
https://www.youtube.com/@FrJerryOrbosSVD.