BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:icalendar-ruby CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260419T020012Z UID:543-4399663@stmarysmetchosin.ca DTSTART:20260312T173000Z DTEND:20260312T223000Z CLASS:PUBLIC CREATED:20260227T095854 DESCRIPTION:\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWithin the Anglican tradition\, the Rite of Recon ciliation or Confession offers a concrete way to step into God’s presenc e with honesty. It has often been described this way: all may\, none must\ , some should. It is invitation\, not compulsion In this sacramental momen t\, a penitent speaks truthfully before God in the presence of a priest. N aming sin aloud breaks isolation. Sharing brings clarity. What once felt f rightening becomes a place of encounter. Then comes absolution — not vag ue reassurance\, but a declared forgiveness grounded in Christ’s saving work. The priest speaks Christ’s promise: you are forgiven. Holiness and mercy meet. Truth and tenderness embrace. Often there is counsel\, someti mes a simple act of prayer or restitution\, and a mysterious healing and r elease. The Rite proclaims that God’s glory does not annihilate\; it tra nsforms. What feels like devouring fire becomes refining light. As Lent ap proaches\, this sacramental gift stands before us as a pathway from fear t o freedom.\nAnother really helpful tool is is the first Five Steps of the 12-Step Program. For more information see my sermon on February 15 Here.\n As I’ve said before\, the Spirit is not so much cleansing us from impuri ty as she is irrigating our wounds. Wounds inflicted on us by ourselves\, our own sins\, and wounds inflicted on us by others. Richard Rohr says tha t we are punished by our sins rather than punished for our sins. There is deep wisdom in that. Sin can be considered as anything which causes harm t o others or ourselves. \nJames 5:16 tells us “Therefore\, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another\, so that you may be healed. ” There is this wonderful line from the Gospel of Thomas where Jesus say s “If you bring forth that which is within you\, it will save you. If yo u do not bring it forth\, it will destroy you.” (Quote 70) When human be ings “admit” to one another “the exact nature of our wrongs\,” we invariably have a human and humanizing encounter that deeply enriches—an d even changes lives—often forever! It is not an exercise to achieve mor al purity\, or regain God’s love\, but in fact a direct encounter with G od’s love. Only love effects true inner transformation\, not duress\, gu ilt\, shunning\, or social pressure. Love is not love unless it is totally free. Grace is not grace unless it is totally free.\nSo I invite you belo ved community to use this period of Lent to use the Rite of Reconciliation and the 5 steps to lay your burdens down and receive healing\, restoratio n and transformation.\nI will be available to hear confession on the follo wing dates:\nAsh Wednesday Feb 18th at the historic Church from 4 pm to 5: 15 pm\nThursday Feb. 19th\, during Pastoral Visits (for more information s ee the Pastoral Visits Events)\nThursday March 12th\, during Pastoral Visi ts\nThursday March 19th\, during Pastoral Visits\nSunday March 22nd\, afte r service. 11:30 to 12:30\n\n\n\n\n\n\n LAST-MODIFIED:20260227T095854 LOCATION: SUMMARY:Rite of Reconciliation AKA Confession URL;VALUE=URI:https://www.stmarysmetchosin.ca/events/rite-of-reconciliation -aka-confession/2026-03-12 ATTACH;FILENAME=Confession.png;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://dq5pwpg1q8ru0.clou dfront.net/2026/02/15/02/25/53/62d79571-2da0-4c8e-bdd6-4c4bd539d49f/Confes sion.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR