RITE FOR RECONCILIATION OF
SEVERAL PENITENTS WITH INDIVIDUAL CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
LENT 2000
INTRODUCTORY RITES
PRESIDER: In the name of the Father, and of the
Son,
and of the Holy
Spirit.
ALL: Amen.
PRESIDER: The grace and peace from God our Father
and from the Lord Jesus Christ who calls us to conversion and repentance be
with you.
ALL: And also with you.
Opening Prayer PRESIDER
·
First Reading Philippians 2:1-5
·
Response to the Word of God: Meditative
Silence
·
Lenten Gospel Acclamation (from Music
Resources)
·
Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12
·
Homily
PRESIDER: Please kneel as we examine our
consciences: [pause]
PRESIDER: Please kneel as we examine our
consciences: [pause]
LECTOR: “Blessed
are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
PRESIDER: Am I humble enough to acknowledge my
total dependence on God? Am I able to admit to others that I don’t have all the
answers? Can I admit mistakes without blaming others? [PAUSE]
LECTOR: “Blessed
are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
PRESIDER: What has been my attitude towards
situations which caused me grief and sorrow? Have I accepted them and learned
from them? Have I been able to say: “I am sorry” and really mean it? Do I have
an “I don’t care attitude” about the evils in society? [PAUSE]
LECTOR: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit
the land.”
PRESIDER: Am I humble enough to handle conflicts
and insults without an “ego crisis”? Am I able to affirm others rather than
criticize them? Do I respect the worth of others? Am I a good listener? [PAUSE]
LECTOR: “Blessed
are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”
PRESIDER: What is the primary focus of my life? Do
I seek for acceptance, success and material possessions? Do I really want to
seek and find a relationship with God? Do I listen with attention and devotion
to the Word of God proclaimed? Am I hungry for Eucharist? [PAUSE]
LECTOR: “Blessed
are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
PRESIDER: Am I sensitive to others’ needs? Do the
needs of others come before my own? Do I give of myself without thinking of
what I will receive in return? Am I a caring, compassionate, merciful person in
my dealings with others? [PAUSE]
LECTOR: “Blessed are the clean of heart, for
they will see God.”
PRESIDER: Am I a person of integrity and
sincerity? Am I honest about my own faults and failings? Do I treat others with
respect and love? Have I ever used anyone as an object for my own pleasure?
[PAUSE]
LECTOR: “Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.”
PRESIDER: Do I return evil for evil? Am I a person
who bridges differences between people of other races, nationalities and
religions? Do I accept genuinely and sincerely those who do not agree with me?
Am I at peace with myself, with my family, friends, and those with whom I live
and work? [PAUSE]
LECTOR: “Blessed
are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and
utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be
glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
PRESIDER: Do I examine myself and my conduct in
light of the Gospel call to be a disciple? Am I able to suffer in silence or am
I always complaining about something? Do I uphold the teachings of the Church
to the best of my ability when they are attacked? Do I follow my conscience or
acquiesce to peer pressure?
PRESIDER: My brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ
has left us an example to follow. Humbly and confidently let us ask him to
renew us in spirit so that we may shape our attitudes and our lives according
to the teaching of his gospel:
ALL: I
confess to almighty God,
and
to you, my brothers and sisters,
that
I have sinned through my own fault
[ALL strike their breasts]
in my thoughts and in my words,
in
what I have done,
and
in what I have failed to do;
and
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.
PRESIDER: The Lord is loving and forgiving. Let us ask him to forgive us and heal us:
LECTOR: For
the times when we were preoccupied with money and worldly goods even to the
point of increasing them at the expense of justice, we beseech you:
ALL: Lord,
have mercy on us.
LECTOR: For
the times when we were ruthless with each other, even to the point of promoting
discord and violence, we beseech you:
ALL: Lord,
have mercy on us.
LECTOR: For
the times when we were impatient with our own burdens and were unconcerned
about the burdens of others, we beseech you:
ALL: Lord,
have mercy on us.
LECTOR: For
the times when we did not thirst for You, the Living God, the fountain of all
holiness but rather thirsted after fame and fortune, we beseech you:
ALL: Lord,
have mercy on us.
LECTOR: For
the times when we were slow to forgive and quick to condemn, we beseech you:
ALL: Lord,
have mercy on us.
LECTOR: For
the times when we were prisoners of our senses and our own evil desires and did
not raise our hearts and minds to you, we beseech you:
ALL: Lord,
have mercy on us.
LECTOR: For
the times we failed to make peace in our families, in our country, and in the
world, we beseech you:
ALL: Lord,
have mercy on us.
LECTOR: For
the times when we preferred to practice injustice rather than suffer for the
sake of right; for the times we discriminated against our neighbors by not
acting against oppression and prejudice, we beseech you:
ALL: Lord,
have mercy on us.
PRESIDER: Let
us ask God to forgive our sins and to bring us to forgive those who sin against
us:
ALL: Our
Father . . . .
PRESIDER: Lord
Jesus Christ,
You redeemed us by your passion
and raised us to new life in baptism.
Protect us with your unchanging love and share with us
the joy of your resurrection, for you live and reign for ever and ever.
ALL: Amen.
PRESIDER: Let us offer thanks and praise to God
and be resolved to be instruments of God’s mercy in the world.
LEADER OF SONG: Please join our Song of Praise as we sing:
Breaking Bread Jubilee 2000, #
124 “Led By the Spirit”
Concluding
Prayer of Thanksgiving:
PRESIDER: God and Father of us all,
You have forgiven our sins
and sent us your
peace.
Help us to forgive
each other
and to work together to establish peace
in the world.
We ask this through
Christ our Lord.
ALL: Amen.
PRESIDER: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And also with you.
PRESIDER: May Almighty God bless you,
the Father,
and the
Son, + and the Holy Spirit .
ALL: Amen.
Dismissal
PRESIDER: The
Lord has freed you from sin. Go in Peace.