Patrick Stevens led the Prayer Partners in this Ritual of Light and Candles to celebrate the Communal Reconciliation Service at St. Joan of Arc parish held at 4 o’clock pm, Sunday, December 11, 2005 in the gym at St. Joan of Arc.
This service in various forms began some years ago when The Sacrament of Penance could be given in communal form and was referred to as the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Sunday evening’s service left no doubt in anyone’s mind that this communal service had far more depth of understanding than the past method which often turned people away because of much undue guilt and fear.
In this service the prayers and stories told us about Purgatory, which Fr. DeBruycker explained was what happens to us when we finally meet Jesus after our death. We look into ourselves and at how we lived our lives. At that time, we will earnestly wish that we had done more to follow the road Jesus laid out for us. We will wish we had done more for others as Christ told us to do.
The lessons were simple and the final words of Jim DeBruycker’s homily was a clear invitation for all of us to “try” to do a loving act of kindness.
Our journey as a whole community is about what we do with loving kindness, good prayer and seeking that light in acts of compassion as we spread the teachings of Christ. This was the essence of this search within us on Sunday evening. In reality, it is a true “examination of conscience”, as this action was once called. We are answering the question in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 17, whereby the man following Jesus was asking the very same question we are pondering, “Jesus, what is it You would have me do?”
There was a great deal of help for us in answering this question by the music, readings and ritual of this service. Deb Harley sang a song in her velvet like voice. It told of one who wished they could fly away from the place they are and into the arms of an angel where they would find comfort. A wish perhaps often expressed when in an unhappy place.
Dan Chouinard was at the piano, Steve Kremer, vocals and guitar, and Deb on vocals. They performed the very appropriate music with the lyrics displayed on the screen for the convenience of the congregation.
I spoke to many people afterwards during hospitality with food and drink offered. Many said this service lifted them up to be able to DO more. Others said it made them calm during this busy pre-Christmas time and brought life’s priorities more into focus. Some just exclaimed that they never expected a Reconciliation service to be so wonderful and fulfilling.
The highlight of the service was, as I stated in the first paragraph, the Ritual of Light and Candle whereby each person approached the altar where someone would lay hands on both shoulders and express these cleansing and hopeful words:
“May Your Compassion Be A Light To The World”
The taper candle was lit and placed in the hand of each person to carry back to their seat for the final blessing and absolution while listening to the closing music and an invitation to gather for hospitality and lively and friendly conversation.
The energy that was bouncing off the walls of the gym was full of light and movement and almost palpable. I can only compare it to the look in a child’s eyes on Christmas morning. It felt like the room was full of innocence. Hope seemed to reign and maybe that is why no one was in a hurry to leave.
If you missed this wonderful prayer, there will be another Communal Reconciliation service sometime during Lent. Try to make time in your busy life for this wonderful hour and in the meantime, remember to “try” to be a light to the world.
Bringing Light Unto the World
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