Pre-Servants Class: Spiritual Theology

July 3, 2009

Sin – Separation from God Breaking God’s commandment Missing the mark

Repentance

Metania – Transformation (change) of mind or attitude

1. Returning to God : “Return to Me, and I will return to you” (Mal 3:7)

2. Reconciliation with God, compared to separation from God when sinning

Benefits

Psychological: it’s not good to keep things bottled up. We have a natural tendency to confess, and if we don’t, it can potentially harm us psychologically.

Spiritually: 1. Receive the forgiveness of our sins2. Made worthy of having communion3. Purify my soul4. Reveal all our thoughts to the priest, then he can

help us get rid of them5. Get advice

Socially: Since he is in better psychological condition, he will be happier and more adaptable.

Physically: Potentially if you are not well psychologically, then it may affect you physically. Man sick for 38 years (John 5:14).

Elements

1. Me and Myself:

• Needs true repentance• Need to sit with yourself to prepare.• Sit with God, and confess to Him through prayer.

2. Me and the priest:

Why?

• It is God’s order (Jn 20:22-23)• It is a sacrament and where we receive the absolution

directly from God, via the priest• Receive practical advice and solutions to problems.

How?

• Remember that he is acting as God’s representative• Confess sins of deed, thoughts, feelings …..Empty

yourself completely. When emptying honey or oil, there are some remains, we need to repent like water.

• Don’t be too vague or too detailed.• Mention duration, how often. • Confess your feelings, were you happy, sad, mad…• Don’t give excuses• Mention the negligence of positive aspects (James

4:17). Lack of prayer, readings, love, …• Confess even if you know the solution.• Be honest.• One spiritual father.• Immediately and regularly

3. Absolution of Sin: kneel in awe and reverence, and pray that God absolves you. We then are forgiven completely of our sins which we have committed intentionally or unintentionally, sins of word or deed, knowingly or unknowingly and we then are purified.

The First Absolution

Yes, Lord, you have granted us the power to trample on serpents and scorpions and every power of the enemy. Crush O Lord, the heads of the enemies under our feet quickly and disperse all his wicked intentions away from us. For You are the King of us all, O Christ our Lord. You are He to Whom we send up on high, glory, honour and worship, together with Your good Father and the Holy Spirit, the life giving and consubstantial, now and forever and ever amen.

The Second AbsolutionLord, You bent the Heavens and descended and were incarnate

for the salvation of mankind. You are enthroned upon the Cherubim and the Seraphim and You behold the lowly. We now raise up our hearts to You, our Master for You forgive our sins and save our souls from corruption.

We bow down in worship for Your unutterable compassion and we ask You to grant us Your peace for You have given us everything. Possess and keep us in Your Holy Name, O Lord and Saviour, for we know no one but You. We mention and utter Your Holy Name. Bring us back to the path of fear and love for You. Be pleased that we enjoy Your blessings.

Your servant who bows his head under Your hand, elevate him in conduct, and adorn him with virtue. May we all be worthy of Your Heavenly Kingdom through the pleasure of Your Good Father, with whom You are blessed together with the Holy Spirit, the life giving consubstantial.

The Third AbsolutionO Lord Master, Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son and Logos of the Father,

who broke all our ties with sin through His life giving and redeeming passion, who breathed into the faces of the saintly disciples and pure and honourable apostles, saying to them:

Receive the Holy Spirit, those sins you forgive, they will be forgiven and those sins you retain will be retained.

Now, through Your pure and honourable apostles, You have granted the clergy in Your holy church at all times the power to forgive sins on earth and untie the bonds of darkness.

Now we also implore of Your goodness, O lover of mankind for your servant and my abject self and all those bowing down their heads before Your holy glory. Grant us Your mercy and break all our ties with sin, and if we have sinned against you knowingly or unknowingly or through the anguish of our hearts, or in deed, words or through littleness of heart, grant us the forgiveness of our sins, You O Lord, who knows the weakness of man. Bless us, purify us and absolve us, and absolve your servant. Fill us with the fear of God and teach us to do your holy and good will.

For you are our Lord and all glory, honour and sovereignty and worship are due to You and to Your good father and to the Holy Spirit, the life giving and consubstantial, now and at all times and forever and ever, amen.

In Absolution, Priest asks for:

Remove all roots of evil His peace to come back to you (lost it

w/sin) Fill us with fear Bring us back to God

Guide To Confession1. Worship

Prayer Fasting Almsgiving Communion and Confession Readings Church (attending early and regularly) Do I practice attaining virtues?

2. Relationship with People Do I have good relations with family? Friends? Do I get angry? Gossip? Judge? Bad company?

3. Kinds of Sins Tongue

Judging, swearing, insulting, humiliating, bad jokes, gossip Thought

Impure, anger, revenge, envy, pride, doubt, judge Deed

Did I break any commandments (stealing, adultery, drinking,)?