Daily Meditaion - Monday 10th. March 2008 - THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

[BarbaraTherese]

The problem I can have with the Sacrament of Reconciliation at times can feel like I am the only one to experience these things. Articles like this reassure me that my problem or problems are shared by many. I dont feel so alone as I strive to overcome any problems in approaching this Sacrament.

DAILY MASS READINGS
usccb.org/nab/031008.shtml

Meditation
wau.org/meditations/meditations.asp?month=03&day=10&year=2008&x=18&y=9

What must have been going on in this woman’s mind? Here she was caught in the act of adultery, with nothing to say for herself. Exposed in her sin, she cringed before the people ready to stone her for her wrongdoing. Not only that, here she was, brought before a prophet, a truly holy man. So many of Israel’s elders had judged her worthy of death, so what would Jesus do?

Jesus forgave her! What elation she must have felt! What relief and joy must have coursed through her! What a sense of her own unworthiness in the face of this freely given absolution! In that moment, she was transformed by a personal encounter with the living mercy of God. Not only that, it empowered her to go and sin no more.

What goes through your mind as you stand in line for Confession? Do you squirm at the prospect of being so vulnerable? It’s only natural

. Maybe you’re a little worried about what** other people might be thinking** about you. But the truth is, the best place for us to stand is before Jesus, confessing our need and receiving his forgiveness. Isn’t that what the Sacrament of Reconciliation is all about? *

When we allow ourselves to*** be vulnerable***, when we get past our initial timidity in approaching the sacrament, we open ourselves to the floodgates of heaven itself! God is just waiting to pour his mercy upon us. In fact, the*** more honest*** we are about our faults and*** the deeper we allow the Holy Spirit*** to expose our need, the more profoundly his grace will penetrate our lives.

He can free us from deeply held patterns of sin, strengthen us in the face of temptation, and give us the ***courage to persevere ***in the face of disappointment.

You may not*** feel*** like the pardoned adulterous woman after every confession. But despite your feelings, God truly has forgiven you. So ask the Holy Spirit to help you see these heavenly realities and cooperate with God. Ask him to help you experience the freedom of being a forgiven child of God.

“Holy Spirit, I believe in the power of God’s mercy
and forgiveness.
Help me to open my heart and mind to receive all the grace he wants to give me
when I confess my sins.”

 

[BarbaraTherese]

DAILY MASS READINGS

usccb.org/nab/031008.shtml

Meditation
wau.org/meditations/meditations.asp?month=03&day=10&year=2008&x=18&y=9

What must have been going on in this woman’s mind? Here she was caught in the act of adultery, with nothing to say for herself. Exposed in her sin, she cringed before the people ready to stone her for her wrongdoing. Not only that, here she was, brought before a prophet, a truly holy man. So many of Israel’s elders had judged her worthy of death, so what would Jesus do?

Jesus forgave her! What elation she must have felt! What relief and joy must have coursed through her! What a sense of her own unworthiness in the face of this freely given absolution! In that moment, she was transformed by a personal encounter with the living mercy of God. Not only that, it empowered her to go and sin no more.

When we allow ourselves to*** be vulnerable***, when we get past our initial timidity in approaching the sacrament, we open ourselves to the floodgates of heaven itself! God is just waiting to pour his mercy upon us. In fact, the*** more honest*** we are about our faults and*** the deeper we allow the Holy Spirit*** to expose our need, the more profoundly his grace will penetrate our lives.

He can free us from deeply held patterns of sin, strengthen us in the face of temptation, and give us the ***courage to persevere ***in the face of disappointment.

You may not*** feel*** like the pardoned adulterous woman after every confession. But despite your feelings, God truly has forgiven you. So ask the Holy Spirit to help you see these heavenly realities and cooperate with God. Ask him to help you experience the freedom of being a forgiven child of God.

“Holy Spirit, I believe in the power of God’s mercy
and forgiveness.
Help me to open my heart and mind to receive all the grace he wants to give me

when I confess my sins.”

 

[Godlovestrength]

What must have been going on in this woman’s mind? Here she was caught in the act of adultery, with nothing to say for herself. Exposed in her sin, she cringed before the people ready to stone her for her wrongdoing. Not only that, here she was, brought before a prophet, a truly holy man. So many of Israel’s elders had judged her worthy of death, so what would Jesus do?

Jesus forgave her! What elation she must have felt! What relief and joy must have coursed through her! What a sense of her own unworthiness in the face of this freely given absolution! In that moment, she was transformed by a personal encounter with the living mercy of God. Not only that, it empowered her to go and sin no more.

**

When we allow ourselves to*** be vulnerable***, when we get past our initial timidity in approaching the sacrament, we open ourselves to the floodgates of heaven itself! God is just waiting to pour his mercy upon us. In fact, the*** more honest*** we are about our faults and*** the deeper we allow the Holy Spirit*** to expose our need, the more profoundly his grace will penetrate our lives.

He can free us from deeply held patterns of sin, strengthen us in the face of temptation, and give us the ***courage to persevere ***in the face of disappointment.

You may not*** feel*** like the pardoned adulterous woman after every confession. But despite your feelings, God truly has forgiven you. So ask the Holy Spirit to help you see these heavenly realities and cooperate with God. Ask him to help you experience the freedom of being a forgiven child of God.

“Holy Spirit, I believe in the power of God’s mercy
and forgiveness.
Help me to open my heart and mind to receive all the grace he wants to give me
when I confess my sins.”

I take the words of Jesus that tell us NOT to go to sleep without releasing our faults of the day.
I feel the way that woman must have every time I forget to pray mainly through tirdness, and get into bed and am checked to get out of bed to pray before I go to sleep.
I think that any person who hears the Holy Spirit would be able to relate the way that woman did.

Very strong point Barb.

Godbless.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I take the words of Jesus that tell us NOT to go to sleep without releasing our faults of the day.
I feel the way that woman must have every time I forget to pray mainly through tirdness, and get into bed and am checked to get out of bed to pray before I go to sleep.
I think that any person who hears the Holy Spirit would be able to relate the way that woman did.

Very strong point Barb.

Godbless.

Hi there GLS…I didn’t write the text incidentally, it is from Word Among Us meditation for today.

Thanks heaps for the valuable (name removed by moderator)ut!

An examination of conscience, even a quick one, with an Act of Contrition is always a plus. I am finding that I need to pray Night Prayer with an Examination and Act of Contrition earlier in the evening as more than a few times I have gone to bed really tired and forgotten - or worse remembered once I got into bed but was too tired or lazy to pray Night Prayer and make my Examen.

From the meditation:

Jesus forgave her! What elation she must have felt! What relief and joy must have coursed through her! What a sense of her own unworthiness in the face of this freely given absolution! In that moment, she was transformed by a personal encounter with the living mercy of God. Not only that, it empowered her to go and sin no more.

I sure have gone to Confession with a load on my mind and come out full of relief and joy…that it was all over and that I had been forgiven. I really love the Sacrament of Confession (Reconciliation) although at times I am almost in a sweat of anxiety before getting in there. When I reflect back on my life things that I just could not get over…sins and faults…are now no longer a part of my life and I am convinced it was because I persisted in confessing them…hence Grace empowered me to go and sin no more.

I really thought this mediation was outstanding in insight…although Word Among Us Gospel meditations are always, I think, extremely good. This one was outstanding! It is always a distinct plus if articles, meditations etc. do include the problems just being human can present in our daily lives of trying…doesn’t make one feel so alone in it all when the human does present itself to us as an ‘obstacle’ in that ever distant goal in our striving and trying.

An ex parish priest said to me and it was a big consolation, that making an effort always even if one does not succeed is always pleasing to God.

Blessings GLS…Barb