FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION -- #4

Our prayers of contrition are prayers of sorrow and of repentance. They express what comes from the person's heart. The 1973 Rite of Penance offers ten prayer texts. These texts, individually and together, reveal a spirituality of reconciliation.

This is the first prayer.

"My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy."

This prayer is similar to older versions of the act of contrition that many Catholics learned years ago ("O my God I am heartily sorry for having offended thee" - although it's reported that some have said, "O my God, I am hardly sorry!...").

The prayer is directed to God, the One who claims our allegiance and loyalty above all else. The text indicates the sentiment of our heart. Like the "I confess to Almighty God..." that can be used as a penitential prayer at the beginning of the Eucharist, this prayer indicates that sin is both a wrong doing and a failure to do good. It then gets specific. The one praying will do penance, sin no more, and avoid what leads that person to sin. Its spiritual orientation is proactive. The one praying orients oneself to virtuous action and personal vigilance. It ends by appealing to God's mercy through Jesus Christ, our peace and reconciliation.

The second and third condition prayers are from the Psalms, the church's original prayer book.

Text two reads:"Remember, Lord your compassion and mercy which you showed long ago. Do not recall the sins and failings of my youth. In your mercy remember me, Lord, because of your goodness (Psalm 24:6-7)."

This text is typically biblical. It remembers God's longstanding compassion, mercy, and goodness. Just as Christians appeal to their baptismal covenant, this prayer asks that God not recall one's youthful sins and failings. Instead, it appeals to God's goodness and mercy.

Text three is two verses from Psalm 50, one of the most frequently used penitential prayers. "Wash me from my guilt and cleanse me of my sin. I acknowledge my offense; my sin is before me always (Psalms 50:4-5)." Washing and cleansing immediately link the penitent's prayer with one's baptismal event and grace. This is a prayer of humility and purification, of new beginnings and fresh starts.

The fourth condition prayer takes a line from two cherished texts in Saint Luke. The first is from the last of three lost-and-found stories in Luke 15: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and lost son parables. God's magnanimous and abundant love is clearly on the lips of the prodigal son. "Father, I have sinned against you and am not worthy to be called your son (Luke 15:18)." Then the prayer contrasts the attitude of the Pharisee and the humble tax collector. "Be merciful to me, a sinner (Luke 18:13)." Luke's Gospel places this prayer both on the lips of the tax collector and the penitent confessing today.