by Rev. Herbert Nichols

Though we have become much less familiar with it, Latin still remains as the official language of Church documents including the Liturgy. In the Introductory Rites there is used the phrase: agnoscama peccata nostra, which has been mistranslated to English as: Let us call to mind our sins. A more accurate translation is: Let us acknowledge our sinfulness.

The penitential rite at the beginning of Mass is not meant to be an examination of conscience; that is something that should be done before sleeping every night. Nor is confession or absolution of specific sins part of this generic rite.

Today we might have the attitude of offhandedly dismissing Paul’s claim that he was the worst of sinners. It is not for us to debate the accuracy of his judgment. Neither the Church as an institution or we as individual members are adequate to judge the personal guilt of another, including ourselves. Judgment lies in the mercy of God.

Paul came to realize in his most inner core that Jesus came into the world to save sinners. His feeling was that if God could forgive him for his former despicable attitude than he could forgive anyone.

We must likewise come to see that we receive the mercy of God which we invoke at the beginning of every liturgy -- that is if we are open to acknowledge the appropriateness for us to receive it. If we are convinced that we have no sin, than we have no need for mercy.

In the Penitential Rite we acknowledge in our hearts that as sinners, we have been dealt with mercifully, washed in the blood of the Lamb from the Cross, the Tree of Life which we exalt tomorrow

It is right and just that we rejoice that God has sent His son as Savior so that we may enter into the union of love which is the mystery of the Trinity itself.