Communal Penance

In our current times where social justice issues are bubbling to the surface and accountability is being demanded, the need for communal penance is becoming more common. As we as groups and leaders to acknowledge wrongs in society: residential schools, sexual abuse within churches, corrupt power, mismanaged companies, etc. Pople are demanding, we are demanding for communal penance of wrongs that have been committed whether by our hand or our ancestors. This acknowledgment and penance, hopefully redirects us to a better way of living together. Today, on Maundy Thursday, I would encourage you to attend a service, a seder supper, a communal meeting of some sort. During this time reflect on how as a group you have failed, and what you may have done better. The early Christians failed Jesus, leading him to be die. While Jesus was human, he must inevitably died, as we all will, but it could have been different. He could have lived longer, he could have taught more, healed more, loved more. However, our religious ancestors cut that all short. Today, we must remember that, and pause to imagine how we could have done things differently, and how we may do things differently today.