Confession is probably one of the first things people argue about when it comes to speaking out against the Catholic faith. Meaning, it’s probably one of the most misunderstood things about the Catholic faith. The beauty and power of reconciliation is lost on so many people because they are sticking to a secular mindset. They ask the question, “Why do I have to tell some priest my sins when I can just pray straight to Jesus myself?”
THE SIMPLE ANSWER ABOUT CONFESSION
The answer to that is simple. Because that isn’t what Jesus asks of us. In John 20:19-23 Jesus gathered His disciples and gave them the power of the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive sins:
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
John 20:19-23 NRSVCE
He knew we would need forgiven and we would need forgiven again and again. Jesus gave us the gift of reconciliation because he knew we need Him but he also knew He wouldn’t be here, so he gave the power to forgive sins to the Apostles. This in turn is passed down through the Pope to our holy priests. This direct line to Christ was established because He wants you to sit with him and hear his words “I absolve you of your sins.”
THE PURPOSE OF RECONCILIATION
The Catechism explains the reason, the steps and the effects of confession perfectly. We must confess our sins regularly to “form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit.” CCC 1458
The next step after confession is penance. This is essential to correcting our wrongdoing and repairing our spiritual health. Basically, actions have consequences and we must learn from our mistakes. We must show to our Lord we are truly sorry and will do whatever necessary to repent.
Finally, the effects of the sacrament of reconciliation “consists in restoring us to God’s grace and joining us with him in an intake to friendship” CCC 1468. Sin has countless damaging effects, even venial sins, and the sacrament of reconciliation repairs and restores us.
The Catechism beautifully states “In this sacrament, the sinner, placing himself before the merciful judgment of God, anticipates in a certain way the judgment to which he will be subjected at the end of his earthly life. For it is now, in this life, that we are offered the choice between life and death, and it is only by the road of conversion that we can enter the Kingdom, from which one is excluded by grave sin. In converting to Christ through penance and faith, the sinner passes from death to life and “does not come into judgment.” CCC 1470
If that doesn’t make you want to run to confession, I am not sure what will! To know and believe that confessing our sins and living in a state of grace will lessen or possibly eliminate our time in Purgatory is powerful. I pray that we all accept and use this grace.
MAKING TIME FOR CONFESSION
I know in today’s world it’s not surprising that everyone is busy. Are you even living if you aren’t?! But what many tend to forget is that this life is only temporary. We need to put our faith and sanctification as a priority because you never know when it will be too late.
Don’t let being busy be an excuse. Schedule time atleast once a month for confession. Go before Sunday Mass. Stop in on your way home from work. After a Saturday morning coffee run. Make it part of date night. Make. It. Fit.
This year we started making it a family requirement. Anyone who has made their First Reconciliation (our three oldest for now) has to make it to confession once a month. It teaches them to make it a priority. I am so proud of how often they remember before we do that we need to get there before the end of the month. It’s a beautiful thing I pray they take with them once they’ve left home!
MAKING CONFESSION RELATABLE
Here is a simple thought on confession: make it relatable. An easy way to do this is by comparing it to modern times. Everyone is looking for that accountability partner these days right? The health and fitness world preaches accountability. Anyone overcoming addiction looks for accountability. This is because without accountability it’s so easy to just slip back to bad habits.
Well the same goes for sin. Repeating sins again and again, then just glancing up and asking forgiveness doesn’t cut it. What’s to stop you from falling again? But if you take the time to go to examine all your sins (even write them down!), make a good confession to a holy priest (your spiritual accountability partner) you are much more likely to think twice about committing those sins again. This is especially true if you create a habit of going and find yourself confessing the same sin each time.
TRUST HIS WORD
We trust Jesus with everything. We must trust Him with our sanctification too. I leave you with these words from St. Paul: “All this is from God, whom through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are the ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
Go to confession today. AMDG
