Gathering Rite of Assembly
Left to right: Lee Breyer,Carol Ann Breyer,
Bridget Mary Meehan, Mike
Rigdon
Left to right: Carol Ann Breyer, Lee Breyer,
Bridget Mary Meehan, Mike Rigdon, Imogene Rigdon
Community gathers around altar to recite
Prayers of Consecration/Institution
in Eucharistic Prayer
Before liturgy, Jack Duffy (standing) converses with
Drew Hudson, (right seated) our liturgist and
Jack Meehan with saxophone
Before Liturgy, Priest Lee Breyer shares with
Bridget Mary Meehan and priest Mike Rigdon.
Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community celebrated General Absoluton on Fifth Sunday of Lent/March 20, 2010 at the Pentential Rite of our Eucharistic Liturgy. (Mass)
Several people expressed thanks for the beautiful meditation on the woman caught in adultery. (below)
Meditaton:
In the early church there was no private confession. The Irish monks devised this practice and the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) made the practice of private confession mandatory. Vatican ll emphasized the community’s role in this sacrament and in recent years, communal reconciliation services have become popular. General absolution is one of the church’s rites in which we receive God’s lavish forgiveness in a communal setting. Church law allows general absolution in cases of grave necessity and the bishop is the one charged with making this decision. So it is with great joy that we announce that our leadership team (which includes a woman bishop) will be offering General Absolution at the Penitential Rite of our Eucharistic liturgy
Our sins/negative choices/failures remind us that we are human and sometimes fall short of our divine potential of living in the fullness of God’s love. We are broken vessels and need forgiveness and healing. During this time of Lent, we come together as community to acknowledge our need for God’s mercy and healing love to transform our lives.
In preparation during the Penitential Rite, we will lead you in a guided meditation on the woman caught in adultery.
Liturgy begins with gathering song and sign of cross…
Penitential Rite:
Soft music in the background…
Invite the assembly to get comfortable in their seats… close their eyes if that is comfortable for them… take a few deep breaths…
In this evening’s Gospel, we encounter Jesus with the woman caught in adultery…
Picture Jesus in a quiet spot, alone… perhaps listening to the music of the birds and insects around him… The wind is blowing..
Hear, in the distance, and then getting gradually louder the noise of the mob, pushing and pulling someone and and yelling about that person being a sinner… As they get closer to Jesus, you see it is a woman, who is made to stand before him in silence, all dishevelved and in disgrace, and hear the accusations…
Listen.. watch…hear Jesus’ words… who can cast the first stone? I don’t condemn you, go and sin no more…
Now in your imagination, switch places with the woman. Now you are standing before Jesus… Be still and listen within…what would you say to Jesus about your own sinfulness…listen to his response to you…look in his eyes …hear his voice.
Speak your desire for forgiveness… hear him speak: go now and sin no more…
Be still in the embrace of Jesus loving you just as you are …
Then, O God, we open our hands and hearts to receive your forgiveness…
General Absolution:
“God, the Father/Mother of mercies, through the death and resurrection of Jesus has reconciled the world and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins, through the ministry of the Church may God give us pardon and peace, and we absolve you from your sins in the name of God, the Father and Mother, and of Jesus, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”
Brief History: (Handout given to assembly)
The Sacrament of Reconciliation/General Absolution In the early Church there was no private confession. The primary sacrament of forgiveness was Baptism. In the early church, the Sacrament of Penance could be received only once in a lifetime. There were only three sins that needed to be confessed to the Church as a whole. One was abandoning one's faith in God, the second was murder and the third was adultery. Penances were long and severe. The Order of Penitents had to wear special clothes, left after the homily like catechumens do today. For centuries, penitents did their penance and then returned for absolution.
It was not until 1100’s that we began to have the individual confessing of sins to a priest and asking for forgiveness from him rather than the community. This practice was begun by the Irish monks who devised a list of all the possible sins one could commit and suitable penances. Sins were kept secret. The Order of Penitents and only one penance in a lifetime were abandoned. The Fourth Lateran Council (1215) made the practice of individual confession mandatory for Catholics to do at least once a year. Thus, we can see the evolution of the current practice of confession, absolution, and then doing the penance.
Then in the 20th century, Vatican II restored a communal understanding to this sacrament. The theology is that God always forgives, and forgives us directly. Reconciliation with the church community was emphasized as a sacramental sign of reconciliation with God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the church is a sign and instrument of forgiveness and reconciliation (ccc1442). “The priest is not the master of God’s forgiveness but its servant.” (ccc1446). The priest is, therefore, a representative of the community.
After Vatican 11, with this emphasis on the community’s role in this sacrament, communal reconciliation services grew in popularity, including a form known as General Absolution, which in recent times has been restricted by the institutional church to emergency situations. We believe that Lent is an ideal time to celebrate our ongoing conversion and spiritual renewal within our liturgy of the Eucharist in preparation for the great feast of Easter. So, our leadership team has decided to celebrate God’s abundant mercy, which is open always to all, with General Absolution during the Penitential Rite on the fifth Sunday of Lent, March 20th.
Prayer: General Absolution:
“God, the Father/Mother of mercies, through the death and resurrection of Jesus has reconciled the world and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins, through the ministry of the Church may God give us pardon and peace, and we absolve you from your sins in the name of God, the Father and Mother, and of Jesus, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”
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