It just hit me today that in the Eucharistic liturgy, the confession comes right before the passing of the peace. I think that this is significant. It is only after confessing corporately that we are sinners that we approach each other and offer a blessing of peace. We cannot truly be at peace with each other if we are not penitent in our hearts. It is only after confessing, "we have not loved you with our whole hearts and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves," that we can truly enter into fellowship.
This reminds me that St. Benedict instructed that each of the times of prayer be ended with the Lord's Prayer. He believed that the men and women should go into their days having just prayed, "forgive us our sins as we forgive each other." Here again, community is dependent on being penitent.
Am I approaching the people around me with a penitent spirit, or do I think that I have all of my ducks in a row? Am I living a live of humility or am I forcing my way on others. Are there those whom I am struggling to love and forgive? Looking to the day ahead, I realize that there is much room for me to grow in these areas.
