CONFESSION - One Bread, One Body, 3/30/2008

We at Presentation Ministries wish you a very blessed and holy Easter.
Praise Jesus our risen LORD!

Read about your Risen Life in Christ
http://www.presentationministries.com/brochures/RisenLife.asp
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Sunday, March 30, 2008, Second Sunday of Easter, (Mercy Sunday)

Acts 2:42-47, 1 Peter 1:3-9, Psalm 118, John 20:19-31
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/033008.shtml

CONFESSION

"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive men's sins, they are forgiven
them." —John 20:22-23

In the evening of the day on which Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus came to
His disciples, showed them His nail-scarred hands and wounded side,
breathed on them, gave them the Holy Spirit, and sent them out (Jn
20:19-22). Jesus sent His disciples out not to just make a general
announcement of His resurrection but to specifically invite us to confess
our sins and be forgiven (see Jn 20:23; Lk 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31;
10:43; 13:38).

One of the first acts of the risen Christ was to begin to develop the
Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of sins. One of the first
things we need to do this Easter season is to repent and go to Confession.
When we have removed the planks of sin from our own eyes, we can then
remove the specks from the eyes of others by calling them to repent,
forgive, go to Confession, be forgiven (Mt 7:5), and immerse ourselves in
the limitless mercy of God.

Without Confession, our celebration of the Easter season will be aborted
and not come to full term. With Confession, we will meet the risen Christ,
be sent to proclaim the forgiveness of sins, and celebrate the risen
Christ for the full Easter season and for eternity.

Prayer: Father, may my first Confession in this Easter season be
life-changing. On this Mercy Sunday, may I experience the depth of Your
ocean of mercy as You reconcile me to Yourself.

Promise: The brethren "devoted themselves to the apostles' instruction and
the communal life, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." —Acts 2:42

Praise: Praise the risen Jesus, the pure, spotless Lamb of God! Jesus,
Mercy of God, I trust in You and praise You forever.

(For a related teaching, order our leaflet "The Secret of Confession" or
on audio AV 44-3 or video V-44.)

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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from
February 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General Archdiocese of Cincinnati,
August 14, 2007

The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.

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