Confession - More Thoughts About Reconciliation

From the Gospel of today - "But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralytic – ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home. A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for giving such power to men."  Matthew 9: 6-8

. . . and I know that even in the Confessional - it is never the priest who forgives sin - as only GOD forgives sin,  but here we see that Jesus did have the power and gave that power to the disciples - the 12 - when he breathed on them - yet before Pentecost - AND THAT POWER WAS PASSED ON for 2000 + years. 

John 20:19-23 19* On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21* Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22* And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23* If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Something wonderful happens in the Confessional Box - By Grace your faith takes you there -  and by Grace HE meets you there - even if you are not fully confessing - and you always know it - as in not being specific enough - being specific has always been a hard thing to learn - but I have come to love it more and more - the freedom of being specific.  To start being specific at 70 is amazing. 

Not growing up with specifics, always just talking at the Lord, later walking with the Lord, asking for forgiveness seemed to work.  I always knew I did not have to tell him something specifically, as he already knew about my sin.  In fact,  I used to say,  "Well, You know what I mean, Lord!" But now I shudder to think that I missed so much of Confession - not JUST the ABSOLUTION - but the saying and speaking TOTAL TRUTH.  SINS SPOKEN IN SPECIFIC TOTAL TRUTH.  

Some of this many have never really experienced - but that is one of the gifts to a convert and it is a wonderful gift!  To find that we can actually name our sin finally, and specifically, for the first time, that a dear priest, forced to hear it, often almost like drivel, yet  loving us,  and caring for our time of pouring out our hearts  maybe again and again, often the same besetting sins, but still bringing them in, and that dear priest is going to let it go in one ear and out the other directly to GOD who, amazingly enough is in the same booth!  Nothing is more wonderful than to know all of this.  Even if you have to wait until 70 and frankly, to be specific?  I think it is more wonderful at 70 than at any other age of your life. 

I remember our first Confession.  Tom was 76 and I was 70.  We had chosen, for our first Confession,  the same priest.  We had not discussed it,  but when the time came,  we both told the other who we had chosen.  He was a beautiful black priest from Africa;  I followed Tom into the same Confessional when he came out - smiling.   Can you imagine the same priest hearing, "Bless me Father, for I have sinned.  This is my first Confession and I am 76."  And the next voice he heard was a female voice saying, "Bless me Father, for I have sinned.  This is my first Confession and I am 71."  Tom and I left the Cathedral that night all but floating.  We had no idea what Confession would do to us! We both were over 70 years lighter of sins!  I am certain the priest felt it was a job well done as the next thing we heard was he was leaving the San Francisco area.  I love being Catholic!

LOVE IN THE LITTLE THINGS by Mike Aquilina

Love in the Little Things 

Mike Aquilina 

Speechless in Half Moon Bay 

I have read LOVE IN THE LITTLE THINGS and gifted 40 or more copies of LOVE IN THE LITTLE THINGS - actually so many that the first time I sent them out to friends, from Amazon, Amazon had to cut me off of more orders because the publisher only allows a certain number to be sold to the same person. Don't ask me why, but it is true; I called in and asked. But the new year seems to have given me a new slate and I can buy LOVE IN THE LITTLE THINGS again and send it to friends. 

Why have I NOT reviewed it? It is too good for me to review. Simple as that. I am SPEECHLESS - but I am going to review it and come in here and edit this post. I just have to say that it is a perfect book. I don't know what that means but it is a perfect book. The poems make me hug myself! The stories of the the Father of the Author, Mike Aquilina (who happens to be my favorite author) are wonderful stories. They make you lonely . . . and happy and sad. I think this book is REAL - about real people and real love and real memories. 

The stories of Frostbite and Children and a, and a, and a . . . all the stories made me smile and cry at the same time. 

I don't review any book or movie that I don't like - I am positive - but LOVE IN THE LITTLE THINGS is over the top Great! 

Pocket Guide to the Bible - Dr. Scott Hahn

This review is from: A Pocket Guide to the Bible by Scott Hahn
 by Terry Fenwick


In A POCKET GUIDE TO THE BIBLE, after reading how the Bible came to be, the types of literature found within, and 'where to find' all the most important events in the Bible, Dr. Scott Hahn has given us a description for each of the Books of the Bible in a 'little' book so small that you can literally carry it in a pocket or handbag. I have them at home, in the car and in my book bag. Priced so economically, ($6.95) it is a great little gift for anyone. Personally, I buy them 10 at a time just to have them for last minute gifts! They fit in a 'greeting' card envelope with the card!


For Catholics, the Deuterocanonical books are clearly defined; for Protestants, that information is not wasted, as they will want to know what those 7 books are about,  when they speak with their Catholic friends.


Two examples for you - one for the Old Testament book of JOB and one for the New Testament book of 2 Thessalonians


JOB asks the most difficult question in all of philosophy: why do good people suffer? Job is prosperous and serves God faithfully. Satan, acting as a prosecutor in God's court, predicts that Job will curse God if he loses all his blessings. So Job loses everything, but he still will not curse God. However, he also refuses to admit that his downfall was the result of his sin, even when his friends try to persuade him to confess his unknown sin and pray to God for forgiveness. In he end, God himself vindicates Job, but Job can never hope to understand the reasons for his suffering. The wisdom and power of God are infinite and unsearchable.


2 Thessalonians reinforces the themes of 1 Thessalonians, clarifying teaching on Christ's return, and exhorting Christians to live orderly, normal lives of diligent work. He reminds them to hold fast to what they have been taught, either by writing or orally.


All the books are explained this clearly. Both younger and older people will treasure this book. There are many more helps in this POCKET GUIDE TO THE BIBLE. I just measured it and it is not even 1/16th of an inch thick.

Who (else) Likes Christina Rossetti?

The Days Are Clear

By Christina Georgina Rossetti

The days are clear,

Day after day,

When April’s here,

That leads to May,

And June

Must follow soon:

Stay, June, stay! -

If only we could stop the moon

And June!

Monsignor Soseman - Rome and Home Report on Boundaries

Getting personal - by Monsignor Soseman

 

Last Winter I went out to a Mall near the Rome airport.  When I go there, I often will spend a euro to park in a parking garage which is out of the way and difficult to find.  This also means that it is almost always empty, and so it was that day.  I pulled in and the parking garage was mine, to park wherever I wanted.  Since it can normally be a challenge to find any parking in Rome it was a real luxury; hundreds of open parking spaces.  I parked in an area with not one other car.  I parked at some distance from the exit, so if anyone else arrived they would not park near me.  

This is where I am teaching, not the location of the parking incident. This is, however, my car in Rome

I went into the mall  and happily did my shopping, but upon returning, I noticed from afar that the parking garage was no longer empty, there were now two cars, and the new car had pulled into the spot next to mine.  No need to worry, though, right?  As I came closer I noted that the car was not just in the spot next to mine, it had pulled in at an angle.  Looking through the window, it was obviously the car of a young person, who was either in a hurry or was just parking as they would in the city.  As I said, the car was at an angle, such that I could barely open the driver's side door when it was time to get in.  I had to squeeze through the opening to get into the driver's seat.  As the youngest of 8 children, I was used to squeezing and contorting to fit into small or unusual spaces.  So, using all of that training, I was able to fit through the space and into the car.  I have to admit that I was not overly cautious about the car next door, the only other car in the lot, and (probably) banged it a couple of times as I got in.  I have thought of this more than once this week here in Illinois, as I pull into parking spots with my Buick, thinking I will be over the line or on it, and seeing that I have almost a yard of space on either side.  

Some friends of mine from some years back had become unsatisfied with their Congregation, and were seeking a new Church.  When I suggested they might stop by for Mass at a local Catholic parish, they responded that they were uncomfortable with touching, and didn't want to go to Church someplace where they had to touch others.  Even the sign of peace was too much interpersonal contact for them.   

Many people are known for hugging, or for kissing both cheeks, or for shaking hands.  Some are more comfortable with this personal closeness, was it Seinfeld who popularized reference to the ever present close talker?   Apparently this also includes parking close.  Others hold back, not wanting to be part of even normal human interaction.  Some of this may be due to cultural background (the couple above was from a Nordic background), some to familial upbringing, some to life experiences, have been victims of crimes, or shun personal contact because of other factors.  In the past I have had the custom of omitting the sign of peace at Mass during Advent and Lent (coincidentally also Cold and Flu season), and been surprised at how many people  will thank me, people who shake someone's hand if it is required of them at Mass, but who otherwise would prefer not to make this contact.    

There has been much controversy in recent months about security screening at airports, involving agents of the TSA, Argenbright security, or others.  I have never had an inordinate problem with airport security, but am very pleased I had a rod removed from my leg a year after it had healed.  I can certainly sympathize with those who have felt that their personal space has been invaded during such processes, and I fear that many of the problems are at the level of policy, which then imposes a difficult framework upon all: normal people who want to travel, security workers, police, and others.

The great majority of us cannot do anything on the level of policy, and indeed, clearly, even good people have great differences of opinion regarding such policies.  In our daily lives, though, we often have to learn to adapt.  An American who moves to Italy or Japan has to become used to being thrust together with all kinds of other  people, in buses, on the street, or even in parking garages.  We must sometimes learn to be around people whose customs are different from ours.  We can also learn to be aware of the personal space of others, especially those who are particularly sensitive in this area.  In our lives as Christians, we do have to learn when to bend.  

Bishop Sheen was visiting a mission country and was brought to visit the 500 residents of a leper colony.  He wanted to give everyone a religious medal to encourage their faith, he said, but as he met he first leper, who held up his emaciated hand, he dropped the medal onto the stump of a hand, and it fell upon the ground.  Bishop Sheen said at that moment there were no longer 500 lepers there, but 501, as he had not met the spiritual challenge.  He picked up the medal and pressed it into the leper's hand.  

Whether or not you are a tactile person, or rather aloof, ask God for the strength to go beyond your own  personal boundaries to serve others through Him, and be confident in his grace.