The Mass Explained: I Confess
When we publicly acknowledge our sins in front of God and others at Mass, we are reminded that our personal sin affects the body of Christ. Today, Dr. Sri breaks down the purpose and meaning behind the Confiteor prayer we recite during the penitential act of the Mass.
Snippet of the Show
By publicly acknowledging our sins in front of God and others during Mass, we recall that our sin is personal but not private, for every sin wounds the body of Christ.
Do you get your spiritual house ready to welcome Jesus during Mass? Do you prepare your heart to encounter Christ? If we get our house ready to welcome guests, then we should get our hearts ready to welcome the most treasured guest of all time- Jesus! Jesus comes to speak to us in the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Taking our sin seriously is a crucial part of our preparation to welcome God into our hearts.
After the priest says “The Lord be with you”, we say “ and with your spirit”, we are acknowledging the Holy spirit at work within the priest during the Liturgy.
"The people are addressing the spirit of the priest; that is, that deepest interior part of his being where he has been ordained precisely to lead the people in this sacred action. They are saying in effect, “Be the priest for us now,’ aware that there is only one priest, Christ himself, and that this is one who represents him now must be finely turned to perform his sacred duties well.” - Jeremy Driscoll
The Confiteor
I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
This is a prayer we make to God and also a public acknowledging our sin. By reciting the Confiteor, we remember that sin has a public effect, it’s not just between me and God. This prayer reminds us that every time we sin, it affects the body of christ. This prayer also serves as a type of examination of conscience by highlighting the four areas of sin:
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In my thoughts
Dp we have jealous, envious, angry, lustful, or discouraging thoughts?
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In my words
Do we speak the truth? Are we honest? Do we exaggerate the truth? Do we boast? Do we fall into gossip? Do we sow division? Do we use foul language?
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In what I have done
Are our direct actions moral? Do we obey God’s commandments?
- In what I have failed to do
Living out holiness is not just about avoiding evil, it’s also about striving to do good. Do I strive to do good and love fully?
Finally, striking our breast three times to express our sorrow and fault is a biblical way of expressing sorrow, grief, and repentance.
“And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.” - (Luke 23:48)
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Sept. 18-26, 2021
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Discover the Beauty and Riches of the Mass
After a decade of helping Catholics understand the Mass, A Bible Walk Through the Mass has been refilmed for a 10th anniversary edition!
Join this five-part program for an exciting tour of the Liturgy and its biblical roots. You will come to understand the profound significance of what we say and do at every Mass—and you will see its words and gestures in a new light, helping to deepen your participation in the Sacred Liturgy.
In this study, Catholics will…
- Learn the biblical background to the words, prayers, and gestures of the Liturgy and become more deeply enriched by its profound mystery
- Discover the relationship between the Mass and Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary
- Explore the three key aspects of the Mass as Sacrifice, Real Presence, and Holy Communion
- Gain helpful insights for getting the most out of every Mass
- And much more!
New features of this 10th anniversary edition of A Biblical Walk Through the Mass include:
- Video footage of a Mass celebrated at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia that is woven throughout the series
- A combined Leader’s Guide and Student Workbook that includes the study question responses
- New insights from Dr. Sri
Resources
- Visit Dr. Sri’s website at www.edwardsri.com and to book online events with Dr. Sri email events.edwardsri@gmail.com
- Find more of Dr. Sri’s episodes at ascensionpress.com/allthingscatholic
- Ascension is pleased to offer our new and improved online bible study programs and sacramental preparation programs digitally to help you minister with flexibility. Go to ascensionpress.com to view all our offerings
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