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Having just come from confession, I have a few thoughts. What a great gift the sacrament of reconcilliation is! I've sorta been down and out for the last couple of weeks needing to go to confession. It was painful not being able to go up for communion and left me feeling very unmotivated. Part of that unmotivation resulted in very little blog activity over the past couple weeks. I apologize to those of you who have continued to visit this blog just to find nothing new to read.
And so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. - Mark 7:37
Christ does all things well. By virtue of our baptism we are called to follow Christ, emulating Him in doing all things well. However, by virtue of our humanity we are prone to fail in doing well.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation allows us to start anew. It allows us to start over in our pursuit of doing all things well, to live the example that Christ set for us.
Having once been one of them, I understand why some people take offense at the thought of confession to a priest. However, I have found that to keep our sins hidden from the world makes it that much more easier to sin again and again. Confession both humbles us and fulfills us. It gives us motivation to avoid sin and fills us with the knowledge that God's love is ever abiding.
On a side note, I couldn't help but make the intersting observation that men far out numbered women in the confession line today. I find that interesting in light of some's arguement that the Church is losing its attractivness to men.
2 comments:
I faced exactly the same misgivings prior to conversion some years ago. Nowadays my only misgivings are that I actually have to confess and that does rather deflate the ego. Ha!
Recent generations have tended to forget that there is a real call for Penance (Repentance). Christ is at some pains to point out the importance (see the Gospel of Saint Luke 13: 1-5) and notice verses 3 & 5!
It is a vital link between Baptism and Final Unction.
Why is Penance important?
Because Christ said it is.
"However, I have found that to keep our sins hidden from the world makes it that much more easier to sin again and again. Confession both humbles us and fulfills us. It gives us motivation to avoid sin and fills us with the knowledge that God's love is ever abiding."
I love confession! I really like your points above. I remember going through a terrible time of guilt and self-destructive behavior years ago as a Protestant beleagured by grave sin who thought to himself, "Well, I confessed it to God." but was actually indulging in wishful thinking.
I am so relieved and happy today to have a regular way to relieve myself of all my junk when I turn my back on God. And the priests in the confessional are so kind.
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