Sin and Reconciliation PDF

# Sacrament of Reconciliation ## Introduction - There is an increase and decrease in the number and frequency of confession. - Defective understanding of God and sin; shift in moral values; conversion as restoration of harmony with law than with God; insensitivity to ecclesial dimension of sin, pe...

# Sacrament of Reconciliation ## Introduction - There is an increase and decrease in the number and frequency of confession. - Defective understanding of God and sin; shift in moral values; conversion as restoration of harmony with law than with God; insensitivity to ecclesial dimension of sin, perception that one can readily lose and gain relation with God; accusation that sacrament of reconciliation is overemphasized to the detriment of other values etc. - New opportunities due to retreats, religious life in family, personal experience of consolation; right confessors etc. - Sacrament be seen in the wider frame of life; sin is not a single act; sin covers more than sin. Whole person is involved. ## History - Jesus' aim: relieve people of the burden of sin (Lk. 4:18). - Same mission continued in the Church - Sacrament of healing: Reconciliation and Anointing of the sick. - Though Church administers it is Christ who works. ## Different Names - Sacrament of conversion: first step of return - Sacrament of Penance: sinner's personal and ecclesiastical steps of conversion. - Sacrament of Confession: Confissao (Portuguese); declaration of sin; confession (acknowledgement and praise) of divine mercy - Compunction: feeling sorrow of one's sins - Sacra. of forgiveness: absolution by priest - Sacra. of Reconciliation: explains purpose of the sacrament; eastern term - Sacra. of contrition/ repentance: return to the original state - Kumbasaram, Pizhamoolal: compassas (Portuguese) ## Biblical Foundation - The term "conversion or repentance" received meaning according to the development of the notion of sin. - Change one's course, turning back, tracing one's steps. - Turn away from evil to turn towards God. - Interior aspect: Metanoia & external aspect: Epistrephein. - Prophets purifies the idea of conversion: Hos 6:6; Amos 5:23-24. - Expressions: "cease to do evil and do good" (Is 33;15;) Incline the heart to the Lord (Josh 24:23); Circumcise the heart (Jer. 4:4) Wash the heart (Jer 4:14); Break up the fallow ground (Hos 10:12) --- all by the term “SHUB”. - Rabbinic concept: Shub to Teshub or teshubah - turning back to Yahweh. - Cultic and natural forms of penitence at public evils or catastrophe. ## Ancestral Practices - Fasting, wearing sack clothes, rolling in ashes. - Lamentation formulae: Ps 51 - Collective lamentation: Lam 5 - Collective confession: Jug=d. 10:10 - Expiatory Sacrifices: Num 16:6-15 - Septuagint: Homologein & Exhomologein: Confess God and Confess to God. ## Conversion in NT - Shub, teshub replaced by metanoia. - John the Baptist & Jesus in the pattern of prophets: categorical. - Appeal to break the ungodly to turn to God. - "bear fruit that befit repentance" Mt 3:8. - Jesus: Lk 24:47; proclaim repentance to all nations. - Jn 20:22-23 - Apostles are given authority to forgive sins. - Mt 18:17-18; Church is given disciplinary authority. - Mt 16:19; rabbinical terms "to forbid" "to permit"; impose the ban or life the ban. - Mt 16:19 Peter has power of keys. ## Apostolic Community - Disciples followed the command to preach conversion (Lk 24:47). - Heart of apostolic mission: (metanoia). - Paul speaks of metanoia in view of final judgement. - Apostles were ambassadors of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-21). - Binding and loosing is an apostlolic power = Power of keys. - Metanoia is a gift of God 2 tim 2:25. - Conversion implies radical break with past 2 Cor 12:21. - Paul calls for ongoing conversion. ## Practice in Apostolic Times - Conversion and forgiveness were main elements of kerygma. - Primitive Catechism aimed at conversion Acts 5:31. - Conversion is God's gift and man's task 2 Cor 5:18-21. - Conversion is an ongoing process as per the growth in faith. - John & James remind of need of confessing sins 1Jn 1:9; Jam 5:16-19. - Existed practice of fraternal correction Mt 18:15. ## Forgiveness in early Church - Sacrament is the result of a long process. - Young Church had little interest to develop a penitential rite. - Dominant mood of experience of repentance was of trust in Jesus. - A custom expelling public sinners from community; sin was not a private matter. - Same practice in Qumran. - Repentant could be taken back II cor 2:5-11. - Only ritual of forgiveness was baptism. - Fasting, prayer and charity were penitential acts. ## Patristic Period - Clement of Rome: appeals for conversion; "it is good for man to confess his fatigue than to harden the heart". - Didache: need of confession and satisfaction: "On the Lord's day gather together, break bread and give thanks after congessiong your transgressions so that your sacrifice may be pure". - A sort of liturgical confession. - Epistle of Barnabas: Apostasy, Adultery and Murder will not be forgiven; reconciliation with Church is the sign of reconciliation with God. - Shepherd of Hermas: habitual sinners have sacrament once in life after baptism; no second possibility of penance; nobody should break the baptismal seal. - Penitenentia secunda was ritualized in a public way. - Ignatius of Antioch: confession, satisfaction and penance are the three meritable aspects of reconciliation. ## Tertullian - Sins are to be submitted for penance to bishop. - Community plays a vital role in conversion. - Before becoming montanist believed in the sacrament and after rejected possibility even for big three sins. - Speaks of sins committed in will and not in action. - After becoming Montanist says that some sins are so serious as to make reconciliation impossible. - Practice of Penance in De Penitentia: operative probation; external act called Exomologesis: confession of sin and avowal of divine mercy; prostration, wearing sack clothes, sighing, weeping, imploring assistance on bent knees – first at the Church door and later in the Church. - Pope Callistus: lenient to sinners; admitted for penance without discrimination. - Clement of Alexandria: need and possibility of reconciliation for post-baptismal sins; elimination of sin is healing; contains idea of expiation; removal of sin is a process; remedies are prayer, fasting and charity; ecclesiastical discipline is in the hands of Church rulers. - Two trends: (rigorism-only means of remission is baptism, no sin will be forgiven after baptism. Laxism: all sins except apostasy, adultery and murder can be remitted again and again. ## Origen - Rejected rigorism of Tertullian. - Introduced sacrifice of sin in the context of Yom Kippur. - Many means like martyrdom, alms giving, charity, fraternal forgiveness for remission of sin. - "hard and laborious remission of sin through penance" - confession and tears. - Adultery, idolatry, fornication are unforgivable through rituals of the church. - Insisted on exclusion of sinners and intercession of the community. - Tribunal of God in moral conscience. - Submit even evil inclinations. - Introduced psychological and therapeutic penitential mode – directors of souls. - Boundary between grave and lesser is difficult to draw. - Reconciled sinners are secondary or inferior. ## St. Cyprian - Emphasized the responsibility of bishop to bring 'lapsed' back. - Allowed presbyters and deacons in emergency. - Synod of Carthage (251)–(libellatici)(who registered to offer sacrifice to Roman God) were reconciled after due penance; (sacrificati (offered sacrifice) (thurificati (done incencing)be reconciled at the time of death. Later (252) milder approach to sacrificati: could be reconciled in emergency other than death. - Ecclesiastical forgiveness is necessary for divine forgiveness. - Removal of sin occurs in the process preceding repentance and not in the rite. - Imposition by bishop is the climactic point. ## Aspects of forgiveness: - Proclamation of Word of God; acknowledgement of sins; determination to change way of life; submission to the mercy of God. - God forgives, but salvation is in and through the Church - no salvation outside the Church. - Efficiency of sacrament depends on valid administration by official minister. - Sacramentality to power of keys. - Confess even sins of thoughts. - Accepts private penance. - Idea of purgatory. ## Didascalia Apostolorum - “Confess your sins in assembly and do not come to your prayer with a guilty conscience" (4:14) – probably a general admission of sin. - Imposition of hands by bishop a sign of reconciliation. - Serious sins need fasting from two to seven weeks. - Known as period of public penance: (Seeking penance in confession; enrolling in the order; exclusion, excommunication and penance; reconciliation or readmission). - Readmission once a year – Maundy Thursday. ## Methodius of Olympus – Work: On Leprosy - Sin of soul and sin of the body. - Submit to bishop; exomologesis for two weeks. - Evil inclinations are leprosy of the soul. ## Hermas Sozomen: - about the rite of reconciliation in Roman Church. (Ecclesiastical History VII:16). ## Public Penance - Arose established form of ritual by third century called canonical penance. - Sins be submitted for penance. - Community plays a role in conversion and penance. - Penitents form a special class like catechumens. - 3-4th cent. easterners had four classes: - Mourners - who seek penance: not allowed to enter the Church. - Hearers - could attend the Liturgy of the Word. - Standers can attend the eucharist but cannot have communion. - Kneelers - received imposition of hand at the end of the mass. - Gregory the Wonder Worker: - mourners: stand outside the church; (b) hearers: stand inside the church (c) fallers: go out with the catechumens (d) participants: take part in the holies. - Ambrose: De Penitentia - all sins can be forgiven but ritual is open only once in life for Christians. - Conversion of heart is essential, real and sincere. - confession of heinous sins is necessary and through intercession of the Church. - satisfaction through prayers, tears, fasting and almsgiving. - “These are the means of making an end to guilt" De Elia 37. - Upper abundant merits of saintly people being transferred to the credit of others. - St. Augustin: - Reconciliation means that with Church and God. - Power of keys is not personal but given to the Church. - Probational penance (b) Penance of daily sinners (c) Penance of grave sinners. - The system of his time included: - admission. Acknowledges sins, disposition for conversion; public act. - Order of Penitents: exclusion from liturgy and imposition of penance. - Reconciliation: access to eucharist by imposition by bishop. ## Characteristics of the Patristic Period 1. Who presided_over the ritual? Generally the episopos. Even presbyters and deacons. Admission to the order of penitents was the prerogative of the bishop. 2. Was there private confession? Generally no. Few occasions there were discussion of sins with episcopos. It was not a substitute for public confession. 3. Was there confession of devotion? No private or devotional confession. Confession was for those seriously separated from Church. 4. Was there a form for absolution? “I absolve you ..." by medieval period at wake of the issue on validity on the basis of Church law and discipline. 5. Was there distinction of mortal and venial? Attempts were there to distinguish "deadly" (crimina) sins that require public penance and every day sins. Categorization came in medieval period. 6. Was the ritual a sacrament? Generally not called 'sacramentum". Alger of Luttich (1121) called the ritual a sacrament. Main element was internal conversion and movement to God. Forigiveness is that of God and not of bishop or priest. 7. Was there social dimension to sin? Sin was not a private matter, but an offence against God and community. Laying of hand in public in the context of communitarian prayer proves that reconciliation is also communitarian. 8. Who received the sacrament? Purely for adults. ## Practice of Celtic Churches - Churches of Wales, Scotland & Ireland. - Their penitential system became official practice of Latin Church by medieval times. - Palldius & St. Patrick organized Irish Church in Roman model – Bishop as leader. - 6th Cent. it became monastic Church with Abbot as head - monastery of Iona. - Rootage in Egyptian and Syriac Monasticism - contrary cures contrary←. - Monastic form of spiritual life: "Monk without a spiritual director is like a body without head". - People consulted spiritual director. He helped to form life opposite to moral problems; director could be male or female. - Books listing sins and penance emerged – celtic penitentials. ## Features of Celtic Form 1. Sacrament was administered in private manner. 2. Confession made in private to a presbyter/ monk though no sacramentality was added. 3. Holy women even acted as confessors. 4. Secrecy was enjoined. 5. Acts of satisfaction were done privately though not secretly. 6. It could be repeated as per necessity. 7. Confessor became normal part of ones spiritual life. ## Period of Tariff Penance (6th – 10th cent) - 6th cent. -growing sensibility to God's mercy. - Tariff = list. Penitential books prepared lists of sins and penances. - Ritual - in the church with priest and penitent; exhortation and questioning; confession; prostration and penitential psalms, judgement on form and duration of penance; dismissal, return and reconciliation. - Exclusion from Eucharist was normal. - Role of bishop became limited as it became more priestly administration. - Different books gave different penance for same offence. - Cumulative penance exceeded the life of the penitent – some could never return. ## Period of Private Confession (11th Cent. onwards) - Tariff penance ended because much time elapsed between confession and absolution. - Arose a tendency to combine confession, reconciliation and absolution. - Some Eastern Churches had already practiced private confession. Eg. Church of Aphrahat. - Pope Urban II distinguished power of order and power of jurisdiction. - Lateran Council IV (1215) - confession is obligatory once an year. - Penance in the Middle Ages. - Public penance gave way to new forms of penitential services and liturgy: reasons: - public penance was too severe, and people were unwilling to submit to it. - So called best people are also sinners. So all must do penance and submit to the sacrament of penance. - Appearance of tariff penance; it was applied even to children who were not able to meet the demands. - Main theologians of 1000-1200: Peter Abellard, Peter Lombard, Peter of Poitiers. ## The Main Elements of 12th cent. theology: - It is God who remits sin and eternal punishment. - Absolution by priest is somehow involved in this process. - Satisfaction is integral to this process. - Satisfaction is necessary but the reason is not properly highlighted. - Once made the act of contrition one is already in the state of grace before approaching the priest. - Good works done in the state of sin merit nothing (Peter Lombard & Peter of Poitiers). - Confessor should enjoin proper satisfaction. - God's grace is necessary to make satisfaction acceptable. - Sorrow sin should be universal and not merely to certain grave sins. - Acts of the penitent are. Contrition, confession and satisfaction. Later Peter of Poitiers made the four fold division adding absolution. ## The Scholastic Period (13-15 Cent.) - Alexander of Hales, Bonaventure, Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas, John Duns Scotus all sacraments including reconciliation are remedial to sinful human situation. - External Elements: Confession, Satisfaction; Internal Element - Contrition (perfect & imperfect) - Purpose of absolution: (a) to show that the penitent is reconciled; (b) to remit the punishment due to sin. - Scholastics made distinction between mortal and venial. Mortal: sins committed with knowledge and premeditation causing complete rejection of God that they may be eternally punished for hell while venial might be forgiven after death. - Distinction between perfect and imperfect contrition: perfect causes conversion from sin and movement towards God. sins may be remitted even without absolution. - New understanding of penance: Patristics – penance aimed to bring to conversion; Middle ages: they are penalties for sins. ## Thomas Aquinas - Acts of penitent and act of the priest constitute sacrament: all subsumed in the word Penitentia (Penance). - Matter of the sacrament consists in the action of the penitent and the priest and the form is the words of absolution. - Acts of the penitent and power of keys cause the effect viz. forgiveness of sins. - Efficiency of the sacrament comes from form. - Penance is necessary for salvation but not absolutely. - Christ instituted it for those in mortal sins lest they will be unable to renounce sins. - Imperfect contrition can bring the person to confession. ## Duns Scotus: - Confession and contrition are necessary to receive the sacrament. ## Councils on the Sacrament of Reconciliation - Lateran IV (1215) – confess once a year all grave sins; seal of confession. - Florence (1439) - acts of penitent are quasi matter and form is words of absolution; effect is the remission of sins. ## Council of Trent: 1543-1563 - 4th-9th session drew nine doctrinal chapters on the sacrament. - Form and matter are necessary for the integral remission of sins; effect is reconciliation (res). - It is a sacrament instituted by Christ; - sacrament is always necessary for the forgiveness of sins and is distinct from baptism as second plank after shipwreck; - Jn 20:23 is the scriptural basis. - Contrition, confession and satisfaction is the matter and the words of absolution is the form. - All these elements are necessary for the integral remission of sins. - The reality signified is reconciliation with God. - For mortal sins integral confession is needed. - Confess once a year and in the season of Lent. - Only a priest can be the minister. - Priest celebrates validly even in sinful state. - The bishop has authority to reserve certain sins. ## Vatican II and the Sacrament of Reconciliation - From Lateran IV to Ordo Penitentiae (1973) there was not much change in the view on the sacrament. - There occurred a shift from dogmatic understanding of sin a moral one – due to different moral systems (tutiorism, Probalism, Probabiliorism, Equiprobabilism, laxism) juridical understanding of sin emerged than pastoral and biblical understanding. - Jansenism affected the frequent reception of Eucharist and confession by refusing absolution. - Different view on justification by Catholics and Protestants. - Interest in the history of the sacrament. - Vatican II gives importance to communitarian dimension (LG 8,11). - Felt the need of updating the sacrament in a community oriented manner – Ordo - Certain criteria : - revise the rite and formula (SC 72). - Emphasize the role of the community and the need of their prayer (SC 109). - Have ample, varied scriptural readings (SC 35, 24). - Liturgy is the celebration of the Church (SC 26. 27). - The rite should be simple, short, clear easy to comprehend (SC 34). - Penitent obtain pardon from God and are reconciled with the Church. (LG 11). - Through sacrament priests reconcile sinners with God and Church (PO 5). - Ordo Penitentiae published in 1973 by Congregation for Divine Worship. ## Structure - Art 1-40 Preface. - #41-47 Rite of reconciliation for individual penitent. - # 48-59 Rite for many penitents with individual confession and absolution. - #60-63 Rite for many penitents with general confession and general absolution. - #64-66 Rite in case of necessity or imminent danger. - #67-214 Biblical Readings and prayers. - Appendix I - Absolution from censures and irregularity. - Appen. II Sample penitential services for Lent, Lent and for various groups. - Appen. III Form of Examination of conscience. ## Key Theological Concepts in Ordo Penitentiae - Reconciliation: term makes evident the content of the sacrament. - Penance and salvation history: Christ is reconciler and his life is reconciliation; Church is the locus of reconciliation; each person has a personal history; salvation and reconciliation is a process; church has history. - Baptism and Eucharist are related; baptism is a reconciliation event; Eucharist is an essential part of reconciliation. - Social nature of sin and reconciliation: sin is offence against God and others. So too reconciliation is not a personal matter. - Mortal and venial terms are not used. All sins are serious. - Sacraments are not private rather a celebration of the community (SC 27). - Presence of the word in the sacrament. ## Reconciliation in the East Syrian Church - Uses the term "remission of sin" -fem in ecraten Church. - Experienced through baptism, Eucharist, Anointing of the sick and other liturgical services. - Three of the 23 homilies of Aphrahaat were on the sacrament. - Reconciliation with Christ/ God is experienced in the Church. - Private confession existed in Monasteries. - Excommunication was practiced for adultery, apostasy and murder. ## Remission of sin in the Writings of Syrian Fathers - Eastern understanding is relational i.e a break in relation while western is legal i.e violation of a law. - So reconciliation is presented in symbolic language of restoration, redemption and salvation. ## St. Ephrem - Freedoms of man. - Ephrem the Syrian, born in Nisibis, later refugee in Edessa. He remained a devoted Christian, deacon, teacher, commentator, an apologist. - Sole liturgical poet: teaching songs (Madrashe). - Enriched Syriac speaking communities as well as Russian and Armenian Churches. - Poem is a vehicle of theology for God cannot be defined rather experienced. - God is undefinable and man is unable to know God. But God is a merciful, loving, descending and revealing reality. - Freedom is central to his anthropology. - Adam is a unique creature fashioned after God's image and likeness which is exemplified as freedom. - Man misused free will through disobedience and caused departure from paradise. - God gave opportunity to repent and opened the door to penitence. ## Images used by Ephrem - Robe of Glory. - "Incarnation → Put on Adam – Reclothed." - In Hymns on nativity: Adam and Eve were clothed in the robe of glory. Later Adam stripped it off. - In First Paradise through incarnation Jesus 'put on Adam” and 'reclothed him'. - "Jesus was baptized for Adam's sin and he rose and raised up Adam in his glory". - Through incarnation Christ became the mediator bet. Creator and humanity. - Medicine of Life. - Eucharist in the medicine, Christ (priest) is the physician and sin is a disease. - Christ is the medicine that heals the wounds and pains of humanity. - "Medical science with its cures does not suffice for the world; but the all sufficient physician saw the world and took pity. He took his body and applied it to its pain, and healed our suffering with his body and blood. And he cured our sickness. Praise be to the medicine of life for he is sufficient and he healed our pain with his teaching." (Hymand on Nisibis 13, 2.). - Let Eve rejoice today in Sheol; her daughter's son has come down as the medicine of life to restore his mother's mother” (Hymns on Nativity 13:2). - Live Coal or Coal of Fire - Refers in connection with the saving and reconciliation ministry of Christ. - Is 6:6 - Jesus/Eucharist is the coal of fire through which the 'thorn and thistles' of humanity are burned away. ## Jacob of Serugh - A hymnographer born at Kurtam at Euphrates and brought up in Edessa. - Easterners consider his writings as common patrimony. - Writing include Memre, Madrase, Sogyata – uses images, symbols because they can display theological vision with freshness and vitality. - Aim of creating man was to raise Adam to the status of son of God and make him heir of the paradise. ## "Through nativity pains of the fall is renewed and the Lord of the Kinds and the judgement of the mercies has been send to humanity”. - "The transgression of the commandment will be blotted out by him. The debt will be recompensed by him. The bond will be torn up by him. Paradise will be opened by him. Cherub the guard ill be disbanded by him. Eve who has put to shame is made chaste by him. The contentious serpent will be crushed by him. Satan the deceiver will be unmasked by him and the bow of death against the human race will be broken by him.” FH IV, 8. - Jesus is the source and summit of reconciliation. - Reconciliation by Christ is presented symbolically as Painter, Master builder, shepherd, physician, leaven of life etc. "Today the painter restored the image of Adam, because it had worn out. He mingled with it the pigment that it might not get corrupted. Today the master-builder has rebuilt the house that had fallen, and so that it might not fall, the support of divinity entered in. Today his Lord has reconciled himself with Adam because the Son who shone forth has set peace between the two sides. Today the flock of the people has been made return. (FH 1, 1057-68). ## Remission of Sin as Healing - "it is a cure of the wounds of sin". - Easterners used medical than legal terms in discussion on reconciliation. - Jesus is the divine physician (Lk 5: 31). - Life on earth is a war against oppression esp. that of sin. - Healing of physical blindness linked to spiritual blindness – “don't sin anymore". ## Narsai: - Catechetical homilies. - Apostates and heretics were excommunicated. - Period of penance was one, three, or six years. - Six years to those connected with sexual impurity. ## Isoyab I (585) - Liturgiologist of the Church. - Secret sins are to be confessed to priest secretly. - Emphasized the role of holy spirit in remission. - By absolution sins are remitted, sinner is brought back, reconciled with God and is in communion with community. - There are sins that need public penance. - Penances are fasting, sack clothes and ashes, praying, weeping, alms giving and exclusion from community. - Sacrament is not mere disciplinary but an authoritative exercise of Church's power. ## Isoyab III (+ 660) - **Amonal Penitential bile of Confess during anmemeiation & Lere** - Composed rite of Hussaya. - Kneeling, prayers, orations, sign of the cross, imposition of hands etc. - Private confession, reception of penance, penitential life, reconciliation. - Annual penitential life and service on beginning of Lent and Holy Saturday. - Penitents fast twice a week, abstain from meat, fish drinks. - Three kinds of reconciliation: one for light and two for grave sinners: imposition of hands, anointing with holy oil, sign of the cross with prayer are the signs of reconciliation or absolution. - All were expected to confess during annunciation and Lent. ## Elements of Rite of Hussaya 1. Exclusion from Eucharistic assembly, 2. Imposition of penance for a prescribed period. 3. Readmission of the penitent to the community. 4. Absolution service. 5. Major Sins: Heresy, apostasy, adultery, abortion, Murder. 6. Penance: fasting, putting on sack clothes, prayer, alms giving. 7. Eucharist has the power to remit sins. 8. Three kinds of absolution: For ordinary sins, for grave sins, for public sins. 9. Eucharist is the ordinary means of healing. 10. Most serious sin is apostasy. ## St. Thomas Christians and the Sacrament of Reconciliation - Sacrament was in **celebration mode**. - Empahsized the role of individual and community. - Sacrament celebrated in connection with **Eucharist - extension of grace in Eucharist**. - Celebration mole - Comunity - Continuation of baptismal life i.e dying to sin and reborn in Christ. - Eucharist can remit sins but sacrament of reconciliation is necessary for grace. - Reception of sacrament is an ecclesiastical discipline for grave sinners. - Used passive form for absolution. ## Variety of Reconciliation Forms - Generally aware of the gospel message of repentance. - (a) Description in Acts of Judas Thomas: repentance in sack clothes and ashes followed by anointing and imposition of hands with priestly prayer. There was general accusation and general plea for forgiveness. Relation to East Syrian Church enriched the doctrinal development. - (b) Post Apostolic time was influenced by Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu rituals. Eg. Incencing on Sundays before the altar. After mutual repentance priest absolved with priestly prayer. Continued till 19th cent. - (c) Some were condemned by Synod of Diamper as sacrilegious. People repented and did penance personally for light sins. Later accused before the priest asking for forgiveness. Priests read Bible and gives absolution. Later taken to the bishop for Hussaya - foreigners did not understand and accused the priests of ignorance. - (d) Pizhamoolal: sinner approaches priest, prostrates; makes general accusation, asks for forgiveness. Priests asks on commandments or precepts of the Church. Penitent makes response and then gets absolution. - (e) Penitential Genuflection in Pentecostal season. Emphasizes role of the Holy Spirit in forgiveness and to continue same life after Easter. - (f) Public Penitential system for adultery, murder and apostasy. Palliyogam hears, imposes penance, checks penitential life and permits to join community after Hussaya. - (g) Rite in Qurbana: rite of reconciliation from 5th cent. Invocation of Holy Spirit, priestly prayer for reconciliation, peace, penitential psalms, incensing. In between fraction, consignation, admonition of deacon, confession of sins and prayer of absolution, our father and peace. Despite latinization the rite of reconciliation a remnant of patristic tradition continued unnoticed. - By 19th cent. all other forms were suppressed and only form is auricular confession. - Eucharist is medicine for sickness or for the wounds of sins. ## Main features:Summary 1. With repentance sinners wore sack clothes and ash. Received through anointing and imposition of hands. 2. Eucharist was a means of remission of sins incorporating local customs. 3. Synod of Diamper condemned certain rituals. 4. Private confession was generally known as Pizhamoolal. 5. Pentecostal Genuflection. 6. Qurbana was a means of repentance. Sign of cross on forehead is a rite of reconciliation. 7. Public sinners were excommunicated – apostasy, murder, adultery. 8. All other sins could be remitted in Eucharist. 9. In 1552 Tridentine form was introduced, renewed in 1969; new form in 2005. ## Protestant Churches on Sacrament of Reconciliation - It is not a sacrament as there is no scriptural basis. - Luther – reconciliation is the hear of Christian teaching and not a moment of sacramental activity. - It is neither internal nor external (an act of a clergy) but an act of faith by which a person believes that Christ has overcome sin and bestowed grace of reconciliation. - Augsburg Confession – absolution of priest is just to arouse confidence is God's mercy. - John Calvin: private confession is useful for those troubled in conscience. - Denies it as a sacrament; it is baptism which reconciles rejects the notion "second plank of salvation after shipwreck" originally coming from Jerome. - it is virtually impossible to confess all sins i.e even after confession one remains sinful and it will torment the conscience. - Power of keys as entrusted with the priest is a misreading of the scripture. - However church has power to isolate, repel and negate sin. - Three forms of confession: (1) between the person and God; (2) confession of faults and sins to the neighbor; (3) private confession made to the ministers of the gospel. - Sin is an offence against God as well as Church. - He prefers the term 'metanoia' to 'penitentia'. ## Theology of Reconciliation - From the term "reconciliare" meaning "to make an agreement between two parties" - viz. divine and human. - Popular understanding: reestablishment of a broken relationship once existed. - Biblical understanding: reconciliation of man with God - Kataloge (GK). - Theological Understanding: process of restoring enmity to friendship. - Reconciliation is synonym to redemption; a call to communion in & through Christ. - Objectively: God took initiative achieved redemption once and for all; calls all of all ages to conversion and gives the means for salvation - all are reconciled in Christ. - St. Iraneus "the word becoming man recapitulates all things in Himself, that means the whole humanity is recapitulated in man. Reconciliation with God is once and for all a realized even objectively and any change in this reconciled state occurs on man's side and not on God's. - Subjectively: is the personalization of the redemption realized by the Father in and through the son one should cooperate and realize personally. - In the level of one's relation to God and fellow beings; fullness in eschatology. - In the level of the Church which is the continuation of the mission of Christ; ministry and mission of Christ is enacted through sacramental signs and all are invited to it esp. through Baptism and penance. ## Penance - is a turning to the love that has been neglected, despised and betrayed. -a return to the received intimacy through words and deeds. -is a reinsertion into the mystery of salvation. -prepares the sinners to share in the expiatory sacrifice of Christ. -it is fruit of real repentance as it is expressed through acts of atonement. -it strengthens the sinner's creative fidelity; a proof through the fruit it bears. -it has a sacramental dimension and value as it deepens and purifies conversion. -it is an earthly reality as well as a saving act when done in union with Christ. ## Church as the Minister of Reconciliation - Church is the universal sacrament of reconciliation on earth. - Church should act as a sign of reconciliation. - Church exercises it through proclamation of the word, celebration of the sacrament and practice of charity. - Church announces the message of penance in a prophetic and priestly manner through... - Baptism: first and basic sacrament of reconciliation; one is initiated to Christian life by becoming a member of the body of Christ. - Baptism is the effective sign of incorporation into the Church and to the gift of new life. - There occurs a radical conversion by which one is united with Christ and born as a new creature in Holy Spirit. - Baptism is a sign of sinner's return to the father's house. ## The grace received enables him to continue further conversion as a baptismal memory. It is thus a sign and instrument of definite conversion and reconciliation. - Eucharist is the culmination of reconciliation. - Ordo refers to Eucharist as the effective means of reconciliation 23 times. - It is the sacrament of the real presence of Christ and it renews the redeeming passion and death of Christ. - Reconciliation: is instituted by Christ in order to recover grace and communion with God for the post baptismal sins. - Through the ministry of the Church, it is Christ who act and Sinner is reconciled by the Holy Spirit in the Church. - Through contrition sinner prepares himself and