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<\/a><\/div>\nGuest post by Allison\u00a0<\/i> In the CCD classes of my youth, I was taught that sin makes us separate from God. This is true, but something else happens, too. My parish priest reminded me of this Sunday morning during his homily when he described \u201cthe malice of evil and the loneliness of sin.\u201d\u2028<\/p>\n
We sang a plea for God\u2019s mercy as an Offertory Hymn at Sunday\u2019s 11 a.m. Mass: Parce, Domine, parce populo tuo; ne in aeternum irascaris nobis. <\/i>(Spare your people, Lord. \u2028Be not angry, Lord, with your people forever.)\u2028 Later, at Vespers, three members of the Gregorian Chant Club\u2014my son, my friend Andy, and I\u2014chanted in Latin Audi, Benigne Conditor<\/a>,<\/i> which begins with the fourth verse of Parce Domine: Audi, benigne Conditor,\u2028 Nostras preces cum fletibus. In hoc sacro jejunio, \u2028Fusas quadragenario. <\/i>(O Merciful Creator, hear! \u2028To us in pity bow thine ear. Accept the tearful prayer we raise\u2028 in this our fast of forty days.)
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I found comfort in raising my voice with fellow parishioners to ask God for mercy, even though I understand that when I sin, the fault is mine alone.<\/p>\n