Challenging penance!

[KCT]

I received a 2 part penance yesterday.

One part involves another person, and if that person is agreeable, it could be very fruitful.

The other part involves something challenging. I see this priest regularly for confession, so when I told him this might be my most challenging penance ever, he clasped his hands, looked upward, and said, “Praise Jesus!”

Oh my!

 

[808Catholic]

I received a 2 part penance yesterday.

One part involves another person, and if that person is agreeable, it could be very fruitful.

The other part involves something challenging. I see this priest regularly for confession, so when I told him this might be my most challenging penance ever, he clasped his hands, looked upward, and said, “Praise Jesus!”

Oh my!

On the first part of your penance (that involves another person), I’ve received a similar penance. Though I thought it might be difficult to fulfill, I turned to prayer that God will lead me through it and He did! No surprise! As you know, we cannot change anyone other than ourselves but God can change anything and anyone. I know; I’m a personal testimony that God can take rubbish and fashion something good (not that I’m all there, yet.) As I hear God tell me, “You do your part and I’ll do Mine.” He is the Potter and I am the clay.

On the second part, penance is not supposed to be “easy”. Even something as apparently simple as praying an Our Father can be quite a challenge if you dive deeper into the prayer itself and why your priest discerned that penance was appropriate for your contrition. Sometimes Catholics pray by rote and believe just saying the words is prayer. Yet, if we pray like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, would we be challenged to the depths of our souls? Do we feel moved enough that blood would fall from our face? Are we humble enough to say “not our will but Your Will be done?”

Trust in God. Have a Blessed Lent!

 

[corsair]

“Even something as apparently simple as praying an Our Father can be quite a challenge if you dive deeper into the prayer itself and why your priest discerned that penance was appropriate for your contrition.”

I can really conect with this part. Our pastor, FSSP, is doing a series of 1 1/2 hour talks on the Pater Noster. We have completed 3 of them so far with the last one to be done mid-April. It is amazing what I have learned about this prayer.

 

[808Catholic]

“Even something as apparently simple as praying an Our Father can be quite a challenge if you dive deeper into the prayer itself and why your priest discerned that penance was appropriate for your contrition.”

I can really conect with this part. Our pastor, FSSP, is doing a series of 1 1/2 hour talks on the Pater Noster. We have completed 3 of them so far with the last one to be done mid-April. It is amazing what I have learned about this prayer.

I believe, like most things God gives us, there are many levels of understanding and to understand deeper meanings we must turn to the Holy Spirit to guide us. God bless you for your devotion to learn more and may He guide your way to understanding.

 

[MaryT777]

“Even something as apparently simple as praying an Our Father can be quite a challenge if you dive deeper into the prayer itself and why your priest discerned that penance was appropriate for your contrition.”

I can really conect with this part. Our pastor, FSSP, is doing a series of 1 1/2 hour talks on the Pater Noster. We have completed 3 of them so far with the last one to be done mid-April. It is amazing what I have learned about this prayer.

What a wonderful topic for a series of talks…Glad you’ve learned so much.

Mary.