Bishop Eric Menees
In our examination of the 2019 Book of Common Prayer’s
service of Holy Eucharist, last week we looked at the role of the Nicene Creed.
This week I’d like to look at the Confession and Absolution of Sin. This part
of the Eucharistic Liturgy takes place in three parts – invitation – confession
– absolution.
The Confession and Absolution of Sin
The Deacon or other person appointed says the following
All who truly and earnestly repent of your sins, and seek to
live in love and charity with your neighbors, and intend to lead the new life,
following the commandments of God, and walking in his holy ways: draw near with
faith and make your humble confession to Almighty God.
Or
Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God.
An invitation to repent is an important aspect to the whole
act of confession. I love the first option here for how it describes
theologically and accurately the point and purpose of confession. Confession of
sin needs to both be taken seriously and be genuine IF it is to be effective.
All who truly and earnestly repent of your sins – This
invitation assumes that we have already repented. Repentance means we need to
make a 180 degree turn. We do this in two steps, first by recognizing that we
are walking away from God and are instead following our own desires, and then
by stopping and making the decision to return to God.
and seek to live in love and charity with your neighbors -
This means that our intention is to reconcile with our neighbor – here neighbor
is meant in the broadest sense as found in the Great Commandment – “And the
second is like it – to love your neighbor as yourself.” Neighbor is not
intended to be the person living next to you but everyone near and far. To live
in love and charity is not to “like” everyone or to “support” everyone – but to
respect them as fellow human beings created in the image of God. Because of
that we can “love your enemies and pray for those who curse you.” (Mt. 5:44)
and intend to lead the new life, following the commandments
of God, and walking in his holy ways: - Intention to reconcile with our
neighbor also means intention to live a life in Christ as a New Creation. (2
Corinthians 5:17)
draw near with faith and make your humble confession to
Almighty God. – We are invited to “draw near with faith” as is appropriate when
entering into the presence of Almighty God!
We are invited into God’s presence to make our confession of
sin because our God is gracious and loving and kind, therefore we may enter
into his presence with confidence!
I pray that your Christmas Season was blessed and that your
Season of Epiphany will be filled with Joy!
3 comments:
I find it interesting that the invitation to confession eliminates the phrase:
make your humble confession to Almighty God DEVOUTLY KNEELING. The penitential aspect of approaching God has been removed. Standing erect and facing the altar and reciting the General Confession is very different than kneeling.
There is the story of what a person would do if Jesus came to one's front door. Would one greet Him as a friend: "Hi Jesus what a surprise. Let me shake your hand. Come in and have a beer."
Or upon recognition would one fall to one's knees with head bowed and say, "My Lord and My God.,. I am NOT worthy that Thou should come under my roof, but speak the word only and my soul shall be healed."
Those who presume to enter God's presence "with confidence" may lack an essential part of humility and Godly fear. It may enable us to rationalize away our sins without proper examination and confession.
Without confession, there can be no proper absolution.
St. Paul says, The wages of sin is death.
Most liberal denominations have eliminated sin from their lexicons and what used to be sin is now declared virtue. As Satan said in the Garden, "Go ahead and eat of the fruit (though God forbade it). You shall not die"
CanonJohn+,
I'll have to check with the bishop on this but I seem to remember two phrases used. One is "Devoutly Kneeling" and "Kneeling as you are able". Additionally our church (St. James) holds services in a Protestant church that has no kneelers which makes it difficult for older parishioners to kneel.
pax,
Dale+
Thanks Dale. I appreciate the practical realities of kneeling in protestant churches and for older folks. My comment was directed more toward the current attitudes toward confession.,. I had some "modern" Episcopalians visit my 1928 BCP mission and afterwards they decried the language of the confession and the deeply penitential nature of the service. They felt put down by the language. Admit to being "miserable" sinners.,. not them.
If we presume that God will forgive us no matter what we do even if we do not confess what we have done and repent, then confession ceases to exist and in many Episcopal and Roman Catholic services and most protestant churches there is no longer a confession. Given the current climate of non-sin, we are o.k. on our own. It appears there is no reason why Jesus needed to die on the cross. A blessed Epiphany to all! JWW3+
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