Confession
The human condition is such that we all make mistakes. The question we need to be concerned about however is why we continue to make the same mistakes over and over again. Once we know the truth and right from wrong, we are culpable. Seeking relief from errors through asking forgiveness is critical to getting on with life and human growth. The Lord, before He ascended into Heaven, appeared to the Apostles in the Upper Room and did something so marvelous for the human condition that it boggles the mind. He breathed on the Apostles and said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; whose sins you hold bound, they are held bound." In an instant, God gave His power to forgive sins to men, Apostles - those who had trained in the Lord's vineyard with Him for three years of His public life. He had previously instituted the Most Blessed Sacrament - His very own Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity so that He could remain with us always until the end of time although He was about to ascend into Heaven. Only God could have thought of such a way to 'not leave us as orphans.' Praise His Holy Name.' The Sacrament of Penance, Confession as it is commonly called, or under Vatican II, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, is so often neglected by Catholics for a variety of reasons. Scores of Catholics receive Holy Communion but the Confession lines are almost non-existent. Either everyone is a Saint or there's something missing. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The sense of sin seems to have been lost along the way. This page will discuss this awesome Sacrament in detail and hopefully awaken many to the beauty of God's mercy available to even the most hardened sinner. God's Name is Mercy so be not afraid.
I grew up in a period when the Catholic Church was stable. Mass was said in Latin and in the same way throughout the Catholic world. Nuns, Brothers and Priests wore habits and looked like Nuns, Brothers and Priests. Diocesan Priests always wore a cassock - the garment basic to all Priests. They are making a comeback among many of the newer Priests thank goodness; we need all the visible signs we can get today.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation as it is generally called today was known simply as "Confession" in those days. It was generally dreaded although Catholics would go. Confessions were only heard in a booth called a Confessional and there was a screen between the penitent and the Priest. I remember as a boy how we all talked about worrying that Father would know who we were. Boys worry about these things I suppose. One boy I went to grade school with even disguised his voice. He forgot however that he stuttered and the Padre knew immediately who he was I am sure. It's funny now to think about.
Confession should not be scary. Would we approach Jesus scared? We would be in awe and wonder I am certain but from what I read of the accounts of encounters with Him like those who have near death experiences, nothing could be further from the truth. People having these experiences all speak of being in the Presence of Love Itself. There's a feeling of acceptance and unconditional love all about Him. He is love itself.
Saint Faustina who penned the diary concerning her encounters with Jesus in the Divine Mercy devotion records the words of Jesus concerning Confession. Jesus tells us to not be concerned with the Priest who is in the confessional for it is He Himself Who is present in the 'disguise' of the priest. How's that for reassurance?
I was one of those Catholics who dreaded Confession and especially if it was face-to-face. Now, I only go face-to-face and love the Sacrament so much. When I taught psychology, many students (and some staff and faculty too) would come to me asking advice or counsel on various matters. I think of how many people go to psychologists and counselors and struggle with issues, pour out their hearts, and pay for these services and then leave with the still heavy feelings they went in with. Talk shows (yuk) are full of people exposing their very personal lives, sexual issues, indiscretions, and all manner of what we might call 'dirty laundry' in front of millions of people. Why is my question?
Confession is free and not only affords us the opportunity of gettng things off out chest but more importantly, having them forgiven forever through absolution. No shrink or talk show host can do that folks.
Divine Mercy Sunday is coming up April 19, 2009. If you don't know about it, read about it online or click the tab on this website. But however you do it, get to know the Divine Mercy Devotion. On this particular Sunday, Jesus has said He will not only forgive all sins but all temporal punishment that goes with those sins. He will wipe our slate completely clean. In other words, the Lord will return our soul to the condition it was in when we were baptized - pure white. No sin and no punishment - gone and forgotten. Think about it please. April 19th is Divine Mercy Sunday but don't put off confession until then. Try to go often in fact; you'll feel better and once the weight of sin is lifted, you'll practically float out of the confessional. Don't worry about what the priest will think; he's heard it all before and nothing is going to shock him.
Jesus said to Saint Faustina that even the most hardened sinner has a right to His mercy - even more so. There's nothing you or I have done or could do that He will not forgive if we are truly sorry and repent.
Now is the time for God's mercy as He pours it out over the whole world. Ours is a scary world with all the problems we deal with today especially. Times are uncertain and life is short in many cases. Eternity is forever and we need to keep that uppermost in our minds. Do it now before it is too late and you will never regret it. Repent and believe in the Gospel; turn yourself around and head away from the darkness of this life towards the Light of Christ. As Our Blessed Mother said to the waiters at the Wedding Feast at Cana, Galilee - "Do whatever He tells you." Ask Our Lady to help you and she will. She like the Church is a loving Mother.
The title of my home page, The Prodigal Doc, came about as the result of my experience with the Sacrament of Penance. After an absence of about 25 years from the Chair of Peter, I returned to the Roman Catholic Church in 2005. How that came about is itself the story of God's mercy working deep within me.
I love the Bible but am particularly attracted to the parables of Jesus - the stories He told as examples to make a particular point. My favorite parable is that one commonly known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The Rembrant painting below pictorially represents the coming home of the Prodigal son. It's me and I can identify so well with it and I hope perhaps many of the readers of this site do too.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "
Here's an excellent article by Mark Mallett, Catholic Evangelist:
To those lost souls bound in mortal sin:
THIS IS YOUR HOUR OF MERCY!
To those enslaved by pornography,
Come to Me, the Image of God
To those who are committing adultery,
Come to Me, the Faithful One
To prostitutes, and those who use or sell them,
Come to Me, your Beloved
To those engaging in unions outside the bounds of marriage,
Come to Me, your Bridegroom
To those who worship the god of money,
Come to Me, without paying and without cost
To those in witchcraft or bound in the occult,
Come to Me, the Living God
To those who have made covenant with Satan,
Come to Me, the New Covenant
To those drowning in the abyss of alcohol and drugs,
Come to Me, who am Living Waters
To those enslaved in hatred and unforgiveness,
Come to Me, Fount of Mercy
To those who have taken the life of another,
Come to Me, the Crucified One
To those who are jealous and envious, and murder with words,
Come to Me, who am jealous for you
To those who are enslaved by love of self,
Come to Me, who has laid down His life
To those who once loved me, but have fallen away,
Come to Me, who refuses no soul…. and I will blot out your offences, and forgive your transgressions. I will remove your sins, as far as the east is from the west.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I command the chains which hold you to be broken. I command every principality and power to release you.
I open my Sacred Heart to you as a hiding place and refuge. I will refuse no soul who returns to Me trusting in My infinite Mercy and Love.
THIS IS YOUR HOUR OF MERCY.
Run home to Me, my beloved, run home to Me, and I will embrace you as a Father, clothe you as My child, and protect you like a Brother.
To the one in mortal sin,
Come to Me! Come, before the last few grains of Mercy fall through the hourglass of time…
THIS IS YOUR HOUR OF MERCY!
STEPS TO HEALING
for a soul
REPENTING OF MORTAL SIN:
Pray Psalm 51 right now:
"Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness;
in your abundant compassion blot out my offense.
Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me.
For I know my offense; my sin is always before me.
Against you alone have I sinned;
I have done such evil in your sight
That you are just in your sentence,
blameless when you condemn.
True, I was born guilty, a sinner,
even as my mother conceived me.
Still, you insist on sincerity of heart;
in my inmost being teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure;
wash me, make me whiter than snow.
Let me hear sounds of joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins;
blot out all my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart, O God
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation;
sustain in me a willing spirit.
I will teach the wicked your ways,
that sinners may return to you.
Rescue me from death, God, my saving God,
that my tongue may praise your healing power.
Lord, open my lips; my mouth will proclaim your praise.
For you do not desire sacrifice;
a burnt offering you would not accept.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn."- AMEN.
- Resolve to find a priest and go to the Sacrament of Confession as soon as possible. Jesus gave priests the authority to forgive sins (John 20:23), and wants you to hear that you are forgiven.
- Smash your idols. You must remove from your midst those things which are leading you to sin. Jesus said, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell." (Matt 5:29)
- Throw away pornography anywhere you have it.
- Remove computers/TV’s that are a temptation, or put them where you can be accountable. What is more important: convenience, or your soul?
- Pour alcohol or drugs down the sink.
- Move out of your partner’s home if you have been living together in sin, and commit to remaining pure in actions and intentions until marriage.
- Get rid of any occultist items, such as horoscopes, Ouija Boards, Tarot Cards, amulets, charms, books or novels on witchcraft or the occult which contain spells, chants, etc. and say a prayer asking God to cleanse you of all evil influence or bondage from these things:
"JESUS, I renounce the use of __________ and ask You to place the power of Your Holy Cross between me and this evil."
- Make ammends:
- Ask forgiveness when possible.
- Give back or replace what has been stolen, or repair what has been broken.
- Do what is necessary to undo harm where possible.
- Take necessary steps to get help where needed:
- If you have an addiction, or feel overwhelmed by the effects of grave sin, you may need qualified counselling. This may be the way in which God wishes to bring about your complete healing, as long as it takes.
- Go back to church and begin to receive the Sacraments which Christ has provided to strengthen, heal, and transform you. Find a church which you know is faithful to its Catholic teachings. If you aren’t Catholic, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you where to go. And begin to pray each day, speaking with Jesus as you would with a friend. There is no other love greater than God’s love for you, and you will discover this more deeply through prayer and reading the Bible, which is His love letter to you. Trust Him with all your heart.
Questions often asked…
• What exactly IS mortal sin:
Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It is a rejection of God’s moral order expressed in His commandments, and written on the human heart. For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be present: grave matter, full knowledge of the evil of the act, and full consent of the will — one’s God-given free will.
• How does it affect us now, and in eternity?
Mortal sin cuts one off from sanctifying Grace and the gift of eternal life offered freely through Jesus Christ. If mortal sin is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell — for our freedom has the power to make choices forever, with no turning back.
• Is hell real?
Immediately after death, the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer its punishments, “eternal fire.” The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in Whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.
(References: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Glossary, 1861, 1035)
• What do we do if a loved one is in mortal sin?
If we truly love family and friends, we will not make excuses for their lifestyles in order to be liked or to keep from being rejected by them. We must speak the truth, but in gentleness and love. We must also be equipped spiritually, for our battle is not with flesh but with “principalities and powers” (Eph 6:12).
The Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet are powerful tools to combat the forces of darkness–make no mistake about this. Fasting also avails us or the situation with tremendous graces. Jesus highlighted that some spiritual battles simply can’t be won without it. Fast, pray, and give everything to God.
