January 17, 2016
The
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Something
to consider during this “Year of Mercy.”
The Church as a small community formed by Jesus to
carry on his mission and message guided by the Holy Spirit game under
persecution with the death of St. James. The early Christians in being
persecuted would be forced to make an oath to the emperor as their god or be
cat food for the lions in the arena and some chose to deny Christ to escape
torture versus martyrdom. Later when the heat was off they would come to the
bishop, priests, seeking forgiveness and being restored to the membership of
the church to receive Communion at the weekly Eucharist. The church needed a
ritual of forgiveness and the result the conversion process of penance
began. It hasn’t changed all that much other
than perhaps the size of the community from a few to thousands and the need to
forgive.
Today might be a good time to reflect on our
understanding of Penance and the need to seek God’s forgiveness in this year of
MERCY.
- Deacon Jim (Homily Notes from Fr. Paul
McManus: 1/17/2016)
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