Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:12 — 18.0MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More
The Penitential Rite – The Way of Mystery with Deacon James Keating
Deacon James Keating and Kris McGregor explore how the Eucharist is intimately tied to reconciliation and moral renewal. The Mass is truly the celebration of those who have been reconciled with God. Grave sin blocks intimacy with Christ, and so the sacrament of reconciliation is essential before receiving the Eucharist. He acknowledges past tendencies to downplay the need for confession to avoid scrupulosity but cautions against neglecting reconciliation, since true love for Christ motivates us to seek restored communion. The penitential rite at the beginning of Mass then becomes an act of deep honesty, where we name venial sins, accept responsibility without excuses, and open ourselves to the mercy of God, so that we can receive the Word and Eucharist with greater attentiveness and freedom.
There is a spiritual and psychological importance of naming sins; using the example of a marriage: when harm is done, reconciliation restores intimacy and peace. Avoiding the pain of self-examination leads to inner turmoil, but bringing sins into the light always encounters mercy, never condemnation. This process echoes Christ’s fidelity on the cross—meeting evil with love—and allows grace to heal what blocks union with God. Over time, the practice of reconciliation becomes less burdensome and more joyful, much like spouses who quickly seek forgiveness out of love. The Mass, especially through the penitential rite and the Eucharist, thus becomes a place of ongoing conversion, drawing us more deeply into the mystery of salvation.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
- How do I approach the sacrament of reconciliation as preparation for receiving the Eucharist?
- In what ways might I avoid or resist the pain of self-examination in my spiritual life?
- Do I take responsibility for my sins without excuses, or do I tend to rationalize them?
- How can I enter more fully into the penitential rite at Mass instead of rushing through it?
- What habits of venial sin most often block my openness to God’s grace?
- How does the image of marriage help me understand reconciliation with God?
- Do I see the naming of my sins as a gift that leads me closer to Christ?
- How do I experience the mercy of God in contrast to feelings of self-condemnation?
- In what ways can I slow down during the liturgy to be more attentive to God’s presence?
- How does Christ’s meeting of evil with love on the cross shape the way I face my own struggles with sin?
Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., is a professor of Spiritual Theology and serves as a spiritual director at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO.
