Every relationship needs forgiveness. Without it, hurts pile up, guilt festers, and we carry the weight of regret. With it, there is freedom – freedom to begin again.
That’s why, early in the service, we come to the Prayers of Penitence. It’s a moment of truth-telling before God. We hear words of scripture: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ to save us from our sins.” The invitation is simple but searching: if God’s love is that great, then we can come honestly. We don’t need to hide.
And so we do. Together we say the words of confession: “We have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.”
These words don’t let us stay vague. They ask us to be real. We sin through negligence – when we fail to notice or act. Through weakness – when we give in to pressure. And through our own deliberate fault – when we knowingly choose what is wrong. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s honest. And honesty is the starting place of forgiveness.
We say this prayer together because none of us is exempt. A congregation may look like it’s full of respectable people, but we all carry burdens and regrets. Speaking these words aloud side by side reminds us that we are all in need of grace. No one stands above another – we stand shoulder to shoulder before God.
But confession is never the last word. Then comes the absolution. The priest says: “Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you…” Notice the flow: it is God who forgives. The priest doesn’t forgive in their own name. They speak as a minister of the Church, declaring God’s promise personally and directly: You are forgiven. You are free.
There is something powerful about hearing those words spoken over you. It is one thing to hope that God forgives; it is another to hear it proclaimed aloud in the name of Christ. It takes the message from general truth to personal assurance.
Why does forgiveness matter? Because without it, we get stuck. Our past defines us, our mistakes trap us. Forgiveness cuts through that. It tells us that our failures do not have the final say. God does. And God’s word is mercy.
Think of the Prodigal Son in Jesus’ parable. He drags himself home, rehearsing his speech of guilt. But before he can get a word out, his father runs to meet him, throws his arms around him, and restores him. That is what God’s forgiveness is like.
So in this part of the service, something profound is happening. We come honestly with our failures. We name them. We hear God’s mercy spoken over us. And we are set free to live again.
That’s why it matters that this comes before communion. We don’t approach God pretending to be perfect. We come as forgiven people – made whole, restored, ready to receive Christ’s presence with joy.
This moment is a reminder: whatever has happened in the week that has passed, God’s mercy is fresh today. His forgiveness is greater than our sin. And so we go forward in freedom.