I waited in line at the Cathedral for over an hour - the line stretched across the entire church. Two priests were hearing confessions. I told the lady next to me that I felt how people on the Titanic must have felt waiting for the life boats before time ran out. Confessions were to end at 5:00 PM but Fr. Ubel remained in the confessional through Mass time.
I was able to get in before 5PM and I stayed for Mass afterwards. the afternoon turned out to be a sort of mini retreat. The priests at the Cathedral are excellent priests - Fr. Jaspers had Mass. Our priests are so solid, so reverent, so good.
Anyway. Go to confession - the encounter with Christ in the sacraments is overwhelming in our times. This morning I still experience the effects. Not sure if it is more of a signal grace because it is Holy Week - but He is there. Jesus is really, truly present in the sacraments, living and active.
The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. "Sacramental grace" is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament. The Spirit heals and transforms those who receive him by conforming them to the Son of God. The fruit of the sacramental life is that the Spirit of adoption makes the faithful partakers in the divine nature by uniting them in a living union with the only Son, the Savior. - CCC 1129
His heart an open wound with love.
I LOVE your Titanic analogy! May you have a blessed Triduum, Terry!
ReplyDeleteLove the image of "el Padrecito" hearing confession. He gave me the impression of being full of love, patience, mercy.
ReplyDeleteHis being "bent over" as he listens reminded me of our heavenly Father, who does the same when we cry out to Him.
With mercy and tenderness, He inclines His ear to us so as to hear our supplication.
A blessed Triduum to all!
Having done this for over thirty five years, I can honestly say: the more terrible and shameful the sins, difficult to even verbalize, the higher in esteem and reverence is the penitent for the priest who absolves. Go to confession.
ReplyDeleteYou have any opinion on the situation regarding the Vatican rebuking the Italian journalist who said Pope Francis said Hell doesn't exist
ReplyDeleteI only commented on it on FB with 2 people I know. The Holy Father would never say that - he has consistently taught about the Devil and Hell - whatever he said to Scalfari, Scalfari misrepresented. Scalfari has a reputation for confusing things from his conversations with the pope. It's just so obvious this 'news' was released during Holy Week to add to the bad books and articles defaming the Holy Father. The Vatican rebuke is what it is. Time to move on. Unfortunately the enemies of the Church will never let this calumny go and it will be embedded in the rad-trad repertoire.
DeleteI enjoy going to confession at the St. Paul Catherdral. The line is long sometimes, but it does make for great people watching. All of sorts of people come to confession there. Then there are the tourists who come in for a visit. Sometimes a wedding rehearsal is starting up. Don’t get me started on Father Ubel. He has such attention to detail and is a excellent steward of the Cathedral.
ReplyDeleteI love the Saturday night special at St Agnes.
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