September 11, 2025

The Reconciliation of a Penitent

The Penitent begins
Bless me, for I have sinned.

The Priest says
The Lord be in your heart and upon your lips that you may truly and humbly confess your sins: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Penitent
I confess to Almighty God, to his Church, and to you, that I have sinned by my own fault in thought, word, and deed, in things done and left undone;

Especially yesterday when I heard about the murder of Charlie Kirk. My first gut level reaction was not of sadness for the violent death of a child of God, nor of anger at his killer, but of happiness for the removal of a foe whom I considered to be an enemy of the Way. 

For these and all other sins which I cannot now remember, I am truly sorry. I pray God to have mercy on me. I firmly intend amendment of life, and I humbly beg forgiveness of God and his Church, and ask you for counsel, direction, and absolution.

Here the Priest may offer counsel, direction, and comfort.

The Episcopal Church is a both/and tradition. You know already that God does not desire that anyone should die, but instead that they repent and live. You know that Saul was a violent enemy of Christ and his people, and you know how his repentance built up the Church. “You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. You shall not defraud. Honor your father and mother.’ and you have kept them from your youth. You know that it is a sin to rejoice in death. You remember that 24 years ago today, some in the world rejoiced at the events of 9/11, and now you feel some of what they felt. You were quick to condemn the shootings of Rep. Melissa Hortman and Sen. John Huffman in Minnesota, and you know that there were those who felt then exactly as you did yesterday. To rejoice at the death of another is always sinful. If you didn’t know that you would not be here, I’m glad to know that you are sorry and will be trying to return to the Way and I hope and pray that all those who have ever taken joy from death will also repent as you are.

But, I am also glad to know that it makes you happy, not that someone has been killed, but that an enemy of the Way of Christ will no longer create oppression. This is the both/and of our faith. We can mourn at death and condemn the violence that caused it, and at the same time rejoice that a voice of untruth and oppression has been removed. It is possible to feel both, but each in its proper place. 

Rabbis teach that when the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, and Miriam led the people in singing, dancing, and rejoicing, the angels started to join in the song. But God told the angels, “No, you will not sing today. Miriam, Moses, and the children of Israel should rejoice and be glad, for they were slaves and now are free, but heaven cannot sing while my other children are drowning.”

Are you singing with Miriam, or weeping with the angels? The beginning of your repentance is to learn and live into the difficult righteous relationship of both/and.

The Priest then pronounces this absolution

Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has left power to his Church to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him, of his great mercy forgive you all your offenses; and by his authority committed to me, I absolve you from all your sins: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Priest adds
The Lord has put away all your sins.

Penitent    Thanks be to God.

The Priest concludes
Go in peace, and pray for me, a sinner.