The Sacrament

of
Reconciliation :
Celebration of
God’s
forgiving love
Objectives:
Doctrine: Understand that God is the
God of mercy and Compassion
Morals: live a life of constant
conversion that they may
obtain fully the grace of the
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Worship: celebrate the sacrament of
reconciliation – an opportunity to
return to Him and be
strengthened in one’s struggle to do His will
What message can you draw from
this picture? Or how do you relate
yourself in this picture?
GOD IS WAITING FOR US
Other names
of the
sacrament
 Scriptural text:
JOHN 20:20 - 23

What is the message

of this Scripture
passage/s ?
 Scriptural text:
Luke 15:11 - 32

What story is recorded

in this particular
Gospel?
IMAGE OF THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON BY REMBRANT
Reconciliation is a
sacrament of the
fullness of the
mercy of God, HIS
COMPASSIONATE
LOVE FOR ALL HIS
CHILDREN
 Thru this
sacrament, God
renews HIS LIFE
and GRACE
within everyone.
If one wants to
receive God’s
loving
forgiveness, one
must ASK FOR
IT
The forgiveness of
one’s sins
depends on the
sincere sorrow of
the person who
needs to be
forgiven
 IN THE PARABLE OF THE
PRODIGAL SON, CHRIST GIVES
EVERYONE A WONDERFUL
EXAMPLE OF GOD’S TENDER,
COMPASSIONATE, EVEN LAVISH
LOVE- AS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE
FATHER IN THE PARABLE – FOR
THOSE WHO TURN FROM THEIR
SIN
Jesus’ ministry of healing
continues

disciples / apostles

CHURCH
 THE SACRAMENT OF
REONCILIATION CELEBRATES
THE FATHER’S COMPASSIONATE
LOVE THROUGH CHRIST’S
FORGIVENESS IN THE HOLY
SPIRIT AND OUR SORROW FOR
SIN.
Jesus’ suffering,
death and
resurrection:
paschal mystery
–God’s mercy
and love for us
TO BE RECONCILED

CONVERSION
(METANOIA)
THROUGH THE SACRAMENT OF
RECONCILIATION

CHURCH SHARE IN
JESUS’ MISSION: TO
FORGIVE; TO HEAL,
TO RECONCILE, AND
TO CALL PEOPLE TO
CONVERSION AND
PEACE
 EVENTHOUGH
FORGIVENESS IS
EXPRESSED
THROUGH THE
ORDAINED
PRIESTS, ONLY
GOD CAN FORGIVE
SINS
JESUS EMPOWERED HIS
APOSTLES TO
CONTINUE His
forgiving ministry:
“whose sins you
forgive, they are
forgiven them, whose
sins you retain are
retained
Sin is not only an
offense against
God, it is also an
offense against
the community,
against another
person.
 Church
teaching
CFC, 1817
 The Church
continues to carry
on the ministry of
forgiveness that
Jesus entrusted
to His followers
 Let’s
pause
for a
moment
e
An inventory on the
sacrament of
reconciliation
What are your
attitudes to this
sacrament?
1.I go to
confession
when:
_______
2. My description
of a good
confessor
is_________
3. My best
experience
with this
sacrament
was______
4. My worst
experience
with this
sacrament
was_______
5. The most
meaningful
penance given
to me
was_______
6. What I like
least about
this sacrament
is_________
7. This sacrament
would mean
more to me
if___________
 GUIDE
TO
RECONCILIATION
Lord our God, You
formed man
from the clay of
the earth and
breathed into
him the Spirit of
life,
but he turned
from Your face
and sinned. In
our repentance,
we call out for
Your mercy
Bring us back to you
and to the life Your
Son won for us by
His death on the
cross, for He lives
and reigns forever
and ever. Amen
In Jesus’ ministry,
His central
message was
the forgiving
love of the
Father.
Through centuries, our
Lord continues to do
the same through His
ordained ministers in
the sacrament of
Reconciliation
(penance or
confession)
Psalm 51
Conversion is a
process, not
something
happens once
and for all
Reconciliation
involves

Healing of
Relationship
broken by sin
2 things: TRUE RECONCILIATION

1. GOD’S GRACE
ANIMATING THE
GENUINE CONVERSION
OF THE SINNER
2. GRACE OF GOD’S
FORGIVENESS
SACRAMENTAL CONFESSION

•DECISIVE STAGE IN THE

LONG PROCESS OF OUR
MORAL CONVERSION
•A KEY TO PEACE OF
MIND AND
IMPROVEMENT
GOD LOVES
US
IMMENSELY
AND WANTS
OUR
ETERNAL
HAPPINESS
 SIN
REFUSAL TO
BEHAVE
ACCORDING TO
GOD’S WILL
GRAVITY OF SIN
•DEPENDS ON THE
ACTION WE DO OR OMIT
•INTENTION AND
DEGREE OF FREEDOM
•CIRCUMSTANCES
 THE RECEPTION OF GOD’S
FORGIVENESS THROUGH THE
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

REAL SPIRITUAL
RENEWAL

WE RISE AGAIN TO A NEW

LIFE OF GRACE
 Church
teaching:
Lumen
Gentium, 11
The person of Jesus is
present and grants
forgiveness each time
a penitent is truly
sorry for having
offended God and
humbly confesses
them to the priest.
When are the
sins of the
penitent
forgiven?
Sins are forgiven if the
penitent is

•Sincerely
sorry for them
Sins are forgiven if the
penitent
•Confesses all mortal sins even
include troublesome and often
committed venial sins in all
humility and honesty to the
priest, minister, acting in the
person of Christ
 Sins are forgiven if the
penitent

•Resolves not to commit

the same sins again
and live according to
God’s will
Sins are forgiven if the
penitent is

•Willing to do the
acts of penance
the priest gives.
How do we make a good
confession

Thorough
examination of
conscience
Examination of conscience includes:

•Awareness of the gravity

and number of one’s
sins : thoughts, words,
actions
•Sin of commission
Examination of conscience includes:

•Realization that by our sins

•offended God,
•renewed the cause of
Jesus’ suffering and death,
•caused harm to our
neighbor and self
 What are the
effects of the
sacrament of
reconciliation?
Effects of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation

•Reconciles us to
God and with His
Church
 Effects of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation

•Restores or
increases sanctifying
grace (supernatural
life) in us
 Effects of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation

•Enables Catholics to
regain the merits of their
good works if these were
lost by mortal sin
Effects of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation

•Provides an
opportunity for
spiritual direction or
advice
Effects of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation

•Takes away the eternal

punishment and at least
part of the temporal
punishment due to sin;
and
Effects of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation

•Gives peace of
conscience and
strength to fight sin in
the future
God in His mercy forgives/
reconciles us to Himself
•RICHNESS OF GOD’S MERCY
– RECONCILIATION WITH
GOD AND HEALING OF
BROKEN RELATIONSHIP
•MERCY AND FORGIVING
LOVE TRANSLATE THE
WORD HESED
 HESED
•SPEAKS OF GOD’S
CLOSENESS TO A PERSON
•SPEAKS OF GOD’S
FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PEOPLE
EVEN WHENTHEY TURN
THEMSELVES FROM HIM
 THE RICHNESS OF THE
FATHER’S MERCY EXPRESSED
IN JESUS

•IN HIS PREACHING

•IN HIS SUFFERING AND DEATH
•EXPRESSED AND EFFECTED IN
THE RITE OF PENANCE
 CHRIST CONTINUES TO
FORGIVE AND RECONCILE IN
AND THROUGH THE CHRISTIAN
COMMUNITY, THE CHURCH
•IN THE MASS
•THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF THE
WORD
•BY THE QUALITY OF HER LIFE
•IN THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE/
RECONCILIATION
 THE SACRAMENT OF
RECONCILIATION CALLS FOR
AN ON-GOING PROCESS OF
PERSONAL CONVERSION

•IN THE EUCHARIST

•BY OUR DAILY SHARING IN THE
CROSS OF CHRIST
•BY CHARITY, EXAMPLE AND
PRAYER
PARTS OF THE RITE OF
PENANCE
1.CONTRITION
2.CONFESSION
3.ACT OF PENANCE
(SATISFACTION)
4.ABSOLUTION
 ACTIVITY
MY WOUNDED AND
FORGIVING HEART