Mean-spirited or Holy-Spirited?
Mean-spirited or Holy-Spirited?
Confession of Sin
A Confession of Sin is said here if it has not been said earlier. On
occasion, the Confession may be omitted.
One of the sentences from the Penitential Order on page 351 may be said.
Proper 14 The Sunday closest to August 10
Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always
those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without
you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without
you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Alabama has adopted illegal immigration legislation requiring police to check the status of anyone they suspect may be in the country illegally when stopped for another reason. Its passage makes Alabama the latest in a series of states, including Georgia and Arizona, to enact controversial new laws aimed at tackling illegal immigration. The bill will require law enforcement officers to attempt to determine the immigration status of a person who they suspect is an unauthorized alien of this country.
The legislation makes it a criminal offense to provide transport or housing to an illegal immigrant. Not just illegal immigrants but also American citizens could be impacted: the law makes it a crime for U.S. citizens to give people a ride if they turn out to be undocumented. It does not have an exception for churches that provide shelter or food or rides. One critic said it is mean-spirited and racist. Several Christian denominations and leaders, including Episcopal, are taking action against the new law, which goes into effect September 1.
This is no foreign matter for us: only half of our Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast is in Florida, the other half is in Alabama. Most of us, not only parish clergy and staff, but everyone who brings groceries to church food pantries and who make monetary gifts, have experience helping people in need -- with food, transportation, utility bills, a motel room, rent, a tank of gasoline, sometimes work around the church, ...
As individuals, we may prefer not to be bothered. As citizens, we wish not to have social problems involving illegal immigrants as a category of humanity. But we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. We deal with each person, each individual, people, human beings, adults and children. We are Jesus-bound to help people, we are bound by our Baptismal Covenant: Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? I will, with God’s help. Saint Teresa of Avila:
“Christ has no body now but yours
No hands, no feet on earth but yours
Yours are the eyes through which He looks compassion on this world
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”
No hands, no feet on earth but yours
Yours are the eyes through which He looks compassion on this world
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”
A rubric of The Book of Common Prayer (page 359) enables the Celebrant to say the Summary of the Law as an introduction to the Confession in The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two.
Confession of Sin
A Confession of Sin is said here if it has not been said earlier. On
occasion, the Confession may be omitted.
One of the sentences from the Penitential Order on page 351 may be said.
Jesus said, "The first commandments is this: Hear, O Israel:
The Lord your God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your
God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your
mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love
your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment
greater than these."
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept. Minister and People
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Lord your God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your
God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your
mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love
your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment
greater than these."
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept. Minister and People
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Confession of Sin regards not only our personal sins, it regards the sins of the society we live in, vote in, and participate in, including political sin. As Christians, we are not bound to obey immoral laws, and if we do so, our sin becomes personal as well as social and political. We must love our neighbor as ourself. There is no commandment greater than this.
TW+