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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Putting Our Worst Foot Forward

Fr. David Friel · June 16, 2013

OU ARE A SINNER. So is the person closest to you at this moment. And so am I. We are all poor sinners.

I am intentionally putting these things bluntly, because it’s not our natural inclination to be open about our sinfulness, is it? When a little kid does something wrong, for instance, he or she will go to extraordinary lengths to cover it up. While we mature in some ways, and our tactics certainly advance, that impulse to exonerate ourselves always stays with us. We consistently try to “put our best foot forward,” so we downplay our sins and faults.

This isn’t the way it works with God, though. We don’t advance in the spiritual life by putting our best foot forward. We advance in the spiritual life by putting our worst foot forward. It’s seems counter-intuitive, but it’s true.

There are a handful of Biblical characters whom I really admire in this regard. First, there is King David, one of my great heroes. King David is an extraordinary man—a warrior-king of great courage and strength and wisdom, and yet a big-time sinner, too. In one passage (2 Samuel 12), the prophet Nathan accuses David of several major sins, including murder. David’s response is music to my ears. He doesn’t get defensive, but simply says: “I have sinned against the LORD.”

Isn’t it refreshing to hear someone straightforwardly admit to their faults? What a great accomplishment it would be for so many of us in the modern world if we could just admit, like King David, that we have, in fact, “sinned against the Lord.” We live in a world that wants to deny sin. We say that, “Mistakes were made,” when what we really mean is, “I sinned.” We offer all kinds of excuses, but we avoid taking responsibility for our actions. King David’s confession is a great model for us.

So, too, is the sinful woman in the Gospel, who bathes Jesus’ feet in her tears, wipes them with her hair, kisses them, and anoints them with oil. What she does is far from culturally acceptable, since this is in the context of a formal dinner. And yet she does it anyway, because she knows the enormity of her sin.

Pope Francis recently said something about this in a daily Mass homily. He said last month: “The problem is not that we are sinners: the problem is not repenting of sin, not being ashamed of what we have done” (Pope Francis, 5/17/13). We should be ashamed of our sins. A healthy dose of shame can lead us to true sorrow, and only when we’re truly sorry can we ever be forgiven.

All the great saints agree that true growth in the spiritual life always begins with a profound sense of our own sinfulness. God can forgive us, but we first need to recognize our faults. So, as we kneel before the altar at Mass, as we kneel before the Lord in the confessional, as we kneel beside our beds in prayer, let’s do so in humility. Recognizing our faults, and longing for God’s grace, let’s put our worst foot forward.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    2-Voice Arr. • “Creator of the Starry Height”
    Do you direct a choir consisting of women or children only? (Some call this a “treble” choir.) Download a two-voice arrangement of Creator of the Starry Height set to the tune of IOANNES by clicking here and then scrolling to the bottom. In our times, this hymn is normally used during ADVENT, and the Latin title is: Cónditor alme síderum. It’s important to say “cónditor”—placing the accent on the antepenult—because ‘condítor’ in Latin means “one who embalms the dead.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
    My colleague, CORRINNE MAY, has posted some delightful compositions for equal voices: that is, choirs consisting of all men or all women. Included there are settings of the “Ave Maria” and “Tantum Ergo.” They strike me as relatively simple and not excessively lengthy. (In other words, within reach of volunteer singers.) Even better, all the scores have been made available as instant PDF downloads, completely free of charge. Bravo!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The Chasuble, or upper garment, represents the purple garment which the soldiers put upon Jesus Christ, and the heavy cross that He carried on His blessed shoulders to Mount Calvary.”

— Guide for the Laity (1875)

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  • “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
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  • PDF Downloads • Four (4) Simple Pieces in Harmony for Men’s Choirs

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