Penance...

The week for the penitential services has begun and I had the 'honor' to hear the confessions of the first penitents from OLPS. We finished everything within one hour and that doesn't mean we just quickly dispensed them away with the absolution. Despite this form of confession/reconciliation, care was still taken to hear the penitents and gently guided them to amendments in their lives before the absolution was unconditionally bestowed.

If the sin(s) concerned are very grave, they may be addressed later in private with the confessor outside of this service. The same is expected at all our penitential services for the East District. We have, for today, two more services at OLPS, i.e. at 7pm and 9pm. It's going to be a long night! :-P

Ahead in my schedule is the coming Palm Sunday and Holy Week. It is going to be a very busy week ahead not to mention tiring too! I don't mind the work and activity involved but my pet peeve during this week are the phone calls from people inquiring about the services and mass times :-P And this is despite all the announcements given in our church bulletins the past weeks and in the Catholic News... *shake head*

Anyway, with regards the matter of the remote, I consider this case close. Just too silly and time-wasting talking about it...

Of Lent and Penances

I have just finished my Novena homily after letting the idea stew over for a few days. Actually, they wasn't much of an idea to begin with. All I know, I had to get something done up by Saturday afternoon, latest, if thee is anything of substance to be shared during Novena.

It has always been a problem for me to do up a Novena homily. This is because the topic is not based on any Sunday readings and you can talk share about just anything under the sun. Of course, it has to be relevant to faith matters and Our Lady.

This particular one centers on the question of how genuine are our Lenten observances/penances? We know very well that we have been called to look into the areas of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. None of these are alien or foreign to us, unless you are a non-believer or someone who couldn't care less about them. When we do practice these observances, how much of it is truly from the heart or are they done to promote our own image in selfishness and superiority?

Do we know what we are doing with all these during Lent? What do they point to? These may be pertinent questions we may need to answer if we are honest with our lives and how they affect people around us.