"Prayer As Confession" Jesus presents a clever picture of the bad side of society alongside the good. We are all familiar with the weeds crowding our gardens. I still remember my siblings and I trying to dash out of the house before dad assigned us to a row of tomatoes to weed! But Christ does not want us judging the weeds around us. God is Judge, not us! Instead, Christ wants us to pull the weeds growing inside ourselves which choke our closeness to him. The tendency to make bad choices seems to be part of the human condition, but, while there is never an excuse for bad behaviour, it is a part which ironically can be the source of our spiritual development. The suffering we bring ourselves and others with poor choices can actually help improve our souls. This is how prayer as ‘confession’ helps us restore relationship with God: if we are contrite, commit to doing better, learn from our mistakes by weeding out the bad, and watering the good, we will enjoy the peace of God’s loving absolution, and grow into positive, productive, loving, cheerful disciples of Christ. Thomas Troeger, of Yale Divinity School, author of, The End of Preaching, tells us, “In a feel-good culture, … the call to confession often meets resistance. … people have told me the very idea of confession makes them feel bad about themselves, so they refuse to do it.” He determined part of this is from those who lived under a form of Christianity which concentrated almost entirely on sin and the guilt. Others resist confession, because sin has been narrowly defined as just pride and arrogance which doesn’t apply to them. But theologian, Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, says, “Some people’s sin is not arrogance, but a failure to affirm their self-worth, and use the gifts God gave them.” Still, others engage in self-deception that all is Ok, since God already knows, understands, and forgives us without any need for discussion. But honestly reflecting upon the bad things we have done or left undone is not a bad idea. It is the route to self-restoration and reconnection with God. In response to our current struggle with racism, Rev Kenneth Lewis said, “Calling it what it is starts the process of dealing with it,” possibly the best definition of confession. Prayer as an ‘inner’ confession to God will help us know more completely who we really are as souls ‘reconciled’ in relationship with God, with others, and ourselves. A Prayer of Confession derived from ‘Thomas H. Troeger, The End of Preaching’. Creator of all that is, we are not what you made us to be. If our sin is pride, remind us every breath is a gift from you. If our sin is lack of humility, remind us we are made in your image. If our sin is the neglect of our souls, remind us you are praying for us. If our sin is neglect of others, remind us Christ speaks through cries of human need. Whatever our sin, remind us that your mercy is endless for those who love you, and that we can be a new creation through your son, Jesus Christ. Amen. Rev Fr Christopher Tracey, Pastor Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Catholic Parish Saugeen Shores, Ontario
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Father's Blog
Rev. Fr. Christopher Tracey
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