What is the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Grade 7 Religion

Reconciliation

In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God forgives sins committed after

Baptism and we are reconciled with him and the Church.

Video

Think About It…

Think of a time when you did something wrong. How did you feel?

Three little words can free us of all the bad feelings associated with doing something wrong: I forgive you.

Jesus gave us this sacrament so that we could hear God say those words to us through a priest.

This is one of the two sacraments of HEALING. (The other is the Anointing of the Sick)

Jesus Heals Jesus is called the Divine Physician.

Only God can forgive sins.

On the night of the resurrection, Jesus gave his apostles the power to forgive sin. He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them” (John 20:22-23).

Today the apostles’ successors, our bishops and priests, forgive us, or give us absolution.

Did You Know?

Jesus told a parable about a sheep that wanders off. The shepherd leaves ninety-nine others to look for it. When he finds the lost sheep, he rejoices. Jesus also told a parable about a woman who loses a coin. She searches the house until she finds it. Then she calls her neighbours to celebrate (Luke 15: 1-10). These two parables show how much God cares for each one of us.

Reconciliation

Sin is an act or an omission (a failure to act) in which we fail to love.

When we disobey God by sin, we separate ourselves from him and from other members of the Church.

With grace from the Holy Spirit, we feel sorry for our sin and repent. We want to turn our lives around.

This change for the better is called conversion.

BTW

The Hebrew word for sin means “missing the mark.”

When we sin, we miss the mark of holiness.

Elements of the Sacrament

To be forgiven, three things are required:

1. We must have contrition. That is, we must be truly sorry for our sin. We might be sorry because our sin offends God who loves us so much, or we might be sorry because we don’t like the consequences of our sins. Our contrition is only true if we intend not to commit the sin again.

2. We must confess the sin to a priest, who represents Jesus. We are only required to confess serious sins, but it is a good idea to confess venial sins too.

3. We must do penance, something that will help make up for our sins, show God how sorry we are, and strengthen our spiritual life. This can be prayers or good acts. The priest assigns us a penance.

BTW

Priests are bound to not reveal what a person confesses in the sacrament of Reconciliation. This secrecy is know as the seal of confession.

Examining Our Conscience

To prepare for the sacrament, we pray to the Holy Spirit and then think back over our lives since our last confession. Our sins will jump out at us.

A sin is only a sin if it is something wrong, if we have time to think before we commit it, and if we really intend to commit it.

Temptations, which are urges to sin, are not sins. Neither are accidents.

It helps to review the 10 Commandments in order to prepare for the sacrament of Reconciliation.

The Rite Usually face to face with a priest, or behind a

curtain or screen.

1. Greet the priest and possibly read a Scripture passage.

2. Confess your sins and say how often you committed them. You might tell why you committed them.

3. Listen to the priest who will talk to you a little and give you a penance. Ask any questions you may have.

4. Pray an Act of Contrition.

5. Listen to the words of absolution.

6. Do your penance as soon as possible.

Effects of the Sacrament

It forgives sins and removes punishment.

It makes us stronger against temptations.

It brings us peace because it makes us right with God and the Church.

Scripture Link Jesus Pardons a Woman

One day Jesus was eating at the house of a religious leader. Suddenly a woman who was known to be a sinner came into the room. She was crying because she was sorry for her sins, and her tears fell on Jesus’s feet. The woman wiped the tears away with her long hair, kissed his feet, and poured precious oil on them. The religious leader didn’t think Jesus should let this sinner touch him. But Jesus declared the woman’s sins were forgiven because she showed much love. The she said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace.” (Luke 7: 36-50)

Act of Contrition

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 Saviour Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his

name, my God, have mercy.