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sins. No matter how great these sins may be, God will
forgive us provided that, like the sinful woman, we
show signs of true love and sincere repentance.
"
Many
sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much.
What sweet consolation for the catechumens and peni
tents in every age ! Soon the Church will open to such
the treasures of divine mercy.
The Introit invites us to adore the justice of God in
the punishment inflicted on sinners, but also, at the same
time to adore His inexhaustible mercy in their justi
fication. The Gradual foreshadows the hour in which
sinners, having made their peace with God, will be able
to approach the altar there to glorify his name. The
Offertory recalls sinners to a sense of reality by
representing to them the analogy of their condition to
that of the Jews in Babylon. The Communion begs
of the Lord to be mindful of His promise which is a
source of confidence and comfort to souls in their humi
liations.
In the Collect we pray for the healing of those
souls impaired by the freedom allowed to their
sensual passions. The Secret renders homage to
the compassion of a God who to procure for us the
life of grace and the pledge of immortality has been
pleased to make use of fragile elements. The Post-
communion begs of God purity of heart in order that
the divine food received in the present life may obtain
for us the everlasting cure of our souls in the life to
come.
In the PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE the Church prays
that God may be propitious
to all those assembled for
the offering of the holy Sacrifice, and that all may reject
what is displeasing to Him and may find true joy in
the fulfilment of the divine precepts.