Penitent in Advent?

By Ramon FVelasquez (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

At mass last Sunday, I was reminded in the homily why we don't say (or sing) the "Gloria" during Advent.  We are being penitent and getting ready for the Lord's Nativity that's why we do not say (or sing) the Gloria.  Just like during Lent when we remind ourselves of sins we did or our capability to do sin, we reflect and stand before our Lord with more contrition and appreciation for His coming.  It's an opportunity to sit down quicker, as I lean on one leg then to the next to ease the stress of standing, but we're getting close to Christmas.  After Christmas, Glorias will come back.


I read some tips from Cristina Montes on helping someone you know go to confession.  Also on Ignitum, Shaun McAfee outlined the context of the sacrament in the Bible.  It was nice that he cited that, "The plurality of our sins implies the plurality of confessing."  Well, its hard to admit that we're frail, that we are weak to sin.

The Holy Father had been talking about the Sacrament of Reconciliation often in his homilies.  He advised priests that, “Through the ministry of the priest, [God] gives us an embrace that regenerates us and permits us to rise again and take again our journey.” and priests are "servants of the sacrament" with the Holy Spirit as the "protagonist of the forgiveness of sins."  

Furthermore, I saw a young kid telling a grown up about confession and its not a jab at adults but I find that that young child had perspective, of something more than just the every day or the end of the day.  The young child even had a bright smile, not a scornful one. 

Don't forget about true joy, it will get you smiling through these hectic, traffic-filled, bills-are-abound days, and the struggle of our family and friends in the Visayas (think of that Jackson 5 Christmas song; they still need our help).  

Resources:
CNA/EWTN News. Priests Must Exercise "Humility" and "Mercy" to Hear Confessions, Pope Says. National Catholic Register: 20 November 2013. web
McAfee, S. A Biblical Look at Confession.  Ignitum Today: 16 December 2013. web
Montes, C. "I'm Gonna Confess. Support Me." Ignitum Today: 7 November 2013. web