THE whole debate on the forgiveness of sin ‘through word, gesture and sacrament’ as Mass, opened up by Elizabeth Harrington in The Leader (19/8/01) can, I think be best answered by words spoken by Pope John Paul II in an address given in St Peter’s Square on 15/6/83.
In that address our Holy Father made the following points.
Although the Eucharist is a renewal of the redemptive sacrifice of the cross on which Christ made expiation for everyone and merited the forgiveness of all our sins and although those who participate in the Eucharist do receive a special forgiveness and reconciliation, the principal fruit of the Eucharist is not the forgiveness of sin.
For that purpose Christ instituted another sacrament. Nor can the Eucharist replace that Sacrament of Penance (reconciliation) which, while remaining in close connection with the Eucharist, retains its own character.
At the Last Supper, by washing the feet of his apostles and pointing out the unworthiness of one, Christ emphasised the importance of purity in approaching the Eucharistic table.
St Paul (1 Cor II 27:29) also emphasised this need for purity. ‘Whoever eats this bread and drinks this blood of the Lord unworthily sins against the Body and Blood of Christ. A man should examine himself first; only then should he eat the bread and drink the cup. He who eats without recognising the body and blood eats and drinks a judgment on himself.’
Christians then need to examine themselves before approaching the Eucharistic banquet for, in a sense, no one is worthy to receive Christ – as we acknowledge at the time of communion. This, however, is not the unworthiness of which St Paul spoke. That is an interior disposition (mortal sin) which is incompatible with Holy Communion since it is opposed to welcoming Christ.
Hence the penitential prayers of the Mass enable those participating to acknowledge their sinfulness, ask forgiveness and approach the table with greater purity but are not sufficient for those in mortal sin who need the special sacrament of confession.
Beyond this necessity (for mortal sin) Catholics need frequent recourse to the sacrament of forgiveness in order to foster in themselves better dispositions.
In conclusion, the penitential prayers at Mass must not render useless the special sacrament of forgiveness but rather increase our awareness of an even greater need for purity and of our value of the sacramental grace of reconciliation (penance).
Now of course, we all know that this sacramental grace differs from the sanctifying grace given to us in confession.
Sanctifying grace is that gift given to us by God that increases our sharing in his divine life whilst sacramental grace is the help God gives us to cure our deeper inclinations to evil and to more easily choose good in the future.
N. MACKENZIE Taigum, Qld
