I like confession during the mass. I like that I lay it out to God that I have screwed some stuff up and I like it even better when the priest reminds us that we are absolved. Since my early Christian formation (lo those many months ago!) was in an Anglo-Catholic church, I just took it for granted that confession was part of communion.
I remember when I went to the Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship Revival a couple of years ago. We had a communion service during the weekend. I was moved to be sharing communion with fellow UUs, but when it became clear that there would be no confession as part of the service, I felt very awkward. Not panicky, exactly, but ill at ease. Finally, I decided to go ahead and get on my knees and make a silent confession before getting up to take communion. Not an easy feat in a colonial Unitarian church, I can tell you. The early architects clearly did NOT believe in getting on your knees. It was a tight squeeze.
Now that I am at a regular Episcopal church, I have discovered that we do not always include confession. We didn't do it at all during the Easter season. I was very pleased that it was back on the roster for Trinity Sunday.
Why? Because one of the biggest miracles of being a Christian, one of the greatest revelations, is that God loves me in spite of my faults. In fact, in some ways, my weaknesses are the very things that draw me closer to God. There is no attempt at hiding my mistakes. No need for perfection. That is God's job, to sanctify me. My job is to do the best I can and admit it when I screw up. It is amazing, I tell you.
What a miracle, Beloved, that you love us, even in our frailty.
What a miracle is your love.
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