Comments on: Asking for Forgiveness

By: Kimberly Hope Belcher

Kimberly Hope Belcher — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:45:51 +0000

I’ll have to think about this more; thanks for pointing it out. This is clearly a vestige of the prayer’s pre-history as a private prayer of preparation (vesting or approach to the altar). It is not complete as it stands, and it is only partially completed by the Misereatur. It may additionally be influenced by the medieval Roman notion that at least for serious sins, grace is needed for the penitent to develop perfect contrition. Hence the request for prayer would be intended to be a petition for (rather than a statement of) complete sorrow for sins.

Of course, in the eucharistic context where it now stands, its ritual completion would fittingly fall right before communion, perhaps in the “We are not worthy to receive you…”…

By: Brendan Kelleher SVD

Brendan Kelleher SVD — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:07:47 +0000

Here in Japan I teach a course to High School juniors under the general rubric of Peacemaking and Peacemakers. A core topic for the second term is Forgiveness and Reconciliation. Some time is spent on the necessity of recognizing the need for both responsibility and accountability. Just saying “I’m sorry”, just about covers accepting responsibility, genuine statements of accountability, and requesting forgiveness demand that we face the hurt our actions have caused.
When someone forgives us they are laying down the right to payback and declaring they are willing to resume loving us, or continue to love us. Forgiveness in this sense is an act of grace, costly grace, of which oft times were are unworthy.

By: Cody C. Unterseher

Cody C. Unterseher — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:26:57 +0000

Much to think about here, Teresa. While I appreciate the the request for intercession in the Roman Liturgy’s Confiteor, I have long preferred the Confession used in the contemporary language rite (II) of my own church — and now I know why:

…we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us…

Not only is an admission of guilt needed, but an outright apology and request for forgiveness.