Eleven small (numbered) 'subsections' make up the first section of the Holy Communion Service, titled Gathering in God's Name . The opening four subsections: §1. A hymn § 2. An Invocation--the Name of God is invoked § 3. The Greeting § 4. Prayer of Preparation (Collect of Purity) were referred to in an earlier post. Then follows subsections § 5-7 which is concluded with the Absolution for sin. § 5. The Two Great Commandments , the Ten Commandments or other suitable passages are used As soon as we hear these commandments being said, we are all reminded of one of the purposes of the Law (Rom 7.7). The law makes us aware of sin: of our deep inclination to wander away from God and seek out other gods. Each Sunday Anglicans are made aware of their sinful state before God and of their continual need for divine forgiveness. Thus the hearing of the commandments leads on to a time of silence and then to a § 6. Confession of Sin The confession is prefaced with the words, 'L...
we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen --Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles