Pope Francis is leaving (has left) for Canada on what he has called a “penitential pilgrimage” – a trip where he hopes for healing and reconciliation over the abuses of the residential school system that existed in Canada.
There is also sorts or response that Pope Francis could of made –He could of said it was a long time ago and an apology was already given back in 1991 from the Oblates of Canada who ran the schools – therefore there is nothing else to do – He could of pointed to Pope Benedict’s statement of sorrow over what happened in 2009 - He could point out all the other organizations that were involved – including protestant Churches and the Canadian government – But those are not the response given, he is instead undertaking this pilgrimage of penance.
In the confessional, we confess our sins, receive absolution, and then do penance – making reparation as best we can in our limited ways – This is something that clearly makes sense – I have done something wrong, and I want to make it right as best I can, Granted that we receive forgiveness as a grace, we can only do reparation by God’s grace, but it is right that we do what we can, accepting God’s grace.
But Pope Francis is not doing penance for his own sins – He is not Canadian - He was not Pope when this happened – He was not the bishop where it happened – It was not his religious order that did anything – He likely know of nothing of the whole situation – It is not his personal sin - why is he doing penance for what is not his personal sin? Why might we do penance and acts of reparation for something that is not our personal sin? What might Jesus’ teaching about prayer reveal?
He teaches several things, and much can be said – however, consider the model of prayer he has given – either the one heard today, or the Our father we are all more familiar with from Matthew – the one we say every Mass – there is something missing – the First person singular – there is no I, me, or my - but we, us, and our – “Give usour daily bread” – and “Forgive usour sins for we forgive everyone in debt to us” – the first person is plural.
It is common to talk about one’s personal relationship with God – On one hand this is right and just – God does want to know us each individually – we have our own prayers and spirituality. It is not wrong to talk about a personal relationship with Christ. But it cannot exist alone, that cannot be all that the spiritual life is.
Our personal relationship with God comes from a communal relationship –the Church - The I – thou personal relationship comes from the We- thou relationship to God – that of the Church – Our spiritual lives are never just as individuals, but always as part of the Church, the body of Christ. We are part of a we – we pray as part of that we.
This is seen first and foremost with the source and summit of the Christian life; the source and summit is not private prayer, but the Eucharist – celebrated as a community – it is there that we receive Christ, body blood, soul, and divinity. – I receive in union with the community.
Even in moments of personal prayer, such as a time private time of Adoration before the blessed sacrament – a personal individual time of prayer with Jesus – yet it comes from the communion celebration of Mass – no Mass – no blessed sacrament - no adoration. It also points back to the Mass – where we receive Jesus – receive in communion with the Church.
And so, it continues through all the Sacraments – these come through and with the Church – Even a sacrament as private as confession – it is private as confesses sins – and it is in private that they are absolved, wipe away, all under the seal such that no one will ever know – yet the conversion is to a priest, acting in persona Christ with the authority of the Church.
No one has a solely private spiritual life, we are part of a body, and it is in light of this that penance on behalf of sins which we did not commit make sense. We prayer forgive usour sins. We can do penance for our sins, not my sins.
This penance, these reparations for sins other than one’s own is seen in many places in the life of the Church– first Friday devotions to the sacred heart of Jesus – making reparation for past and present offenses against Christ’s love. – First Saturday Devotion which is an act of reparation to the immaculate Heart Mary – Most prominently - having Masses said for others, in particular the diseased. - There are nuns and monks whose whole vocation is praying in reparation of sins – the sins of the world.
We cannot and do not just push any sin off as “not our sin” – it is not our personal sin, and we cannot go to confession for - it -but as we are part of the body of Christ – we can pray, do penance, and make reparation for others of the body.
And so it is that Pope Francis goes to Canada on this penitential pilgrimage – not necessarily for his own sins, but for the sins of the world and those who caused harm and abuse in the Indian residential schools – a pilgrimage of penance to bring reconciliation and healing to Canada – because our prayer is not just “forgive me my sins” – but “forgive us our sins”