My Penance is What?

If you read my quick takes from Friday, you would know that I was struggling with getting to confession!

I went to a different Church this Sunday for Mass since I was near my parents house. I am so glad I did. They made an announcement that there would be two chances for confession this week. Last night at 7:15 or 8:15 and Thursday at 7pm

Wow. What a parish to have Confession 3 times the week before Christmas! Beautiful!

I was praying a lot before that it would be a good confession. I went in and knelt down and like a wind out of nowhere, the Spirit forced the words out of me that I so badly needed to come out!

Then came the funny part. Well not totally funny, but strange I guess. Usually, at the very least, for penance, it is either a formal prayer (1 Our Father or 1 Decade of the Rosary, or a couple Decades) or a general prayer (pray for priests this week or something)...

..."Praise the name of Jesus...ya know, sometimes we call it a Mantra...but just repeat over and over 'I praise your Holy Name, Jesus...things like that...for about a minute or two, here or in the car or wherever"

You can imagine my thought process here, "Did this priest just tell me to be charismatic for my penance? And only a minute?"

Well, I was so grateful for a good confession that I almost couldn't stop praising in this "mantra" way, the entire hour car ride home. That was the easiest "penance" but the most amazing because the turmoil I was feeling for my actions before was pretty strong and very penance like, and after, I found all I wanted to do was worship/praise!

Dear Jesus, thank you for your inexhaustable mercies and unconditional love! Amen!