Confession

I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE :           I LOVE CONFESSION. 

O.K. I KNOW THE TITLE OF THIS BLOG GOT YOUR HOPES UP BUT BEAR WITH ME. 

JUST AFTER DUSK TONIGHT WE HEADED OVER TO OUR CHURCH FOR SOMETHING WE CATHOLICS CALL ‘RECONCILIATION’ .   THIS IS A GREAT GIFT ! 

CAN YOU IMAGINE CARRYING A GREAT BURDEN ON YOUR SHOULDERS ( OR IN YOUR HEART AND MIND) FOR MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS?   FOR MOST OF US THE ANSWER TO THIS IS : YES!  BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE STRESSES,  THINGS THAT HAVE MADE US ANGRY, UNKIND, IMPATIENT,  BASICALLY THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE DONE TO HURT ANOTHER PERSON, ETC .  THIS IS JUST BEING HUMAN.  ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT HAVING THE GIFT OF RECONCILIATION IS THE UNBURDENING OF THESE SINS WHICH WEIGH US DOWN.

WE ARE TRYING TO REPAIR A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BECAUSE JESUS ASKED US TO ‘BE HOLY’ . THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT ALTHOUGH NO ONE IS PERFECT WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS CAME TO FORGIVE OUR SINS AND TEACH US THE WAY TO LIVE A LIFE OF GOODNESS AND GAIN ETERNAL LIFE SOMEDAY .  JOHN 3:16 …(YES, THE GOLF TOURNAMENT SIGN)  GOD SENT HIS SON TO TAKE ON ALL OF OUR SINS AND SAVE US AND THIS IS HOW STRONG HIS LOVE IS FOR US. 

BUT WHY DO WE NEED TO GO TO A PRIEST YOU ASK ? 

THE APOSTLES WERE GIVEN THE POWER TO FORGIVE SINS… “AS THE FATHER SENT ME , I AM SENDING YOU”.   THESE PRIESTS CONTINUED ON THROUGH GENERATIONS  RIGHT UP UNTIL TODAY.   RECONCILIATION IS JUST ONE OF 7 SACRAMENTS ( BAPTISM, EUCHARIST, CONFIRMATION, RECONCILIATION, MARRIAGE, HOLY ORDERS AND ANOINTING OF THE SICK) BUT OUR PRIESTS CANNOT READ OUR MINDS.  THEY NEED TO HEAR THE SINS BEFORE THEY CAN FORGIVE THE SINS.  

IT MIGHT SOUND SCARY TO TELL ANOTHER PERSON THE THINGS OF WHICH YOU ARE ASHAMED .  BUT LET ME ASSURE YOU  THAT I HAVE ALWAYS FELT A GREAT , LOVING PEACE FROM EVERY CONFESSOR I’VE EVER BEEN TO ( NOT JUDGEMENT) AND THE RELIEF I HAVE FELT WHEN I RECEIVED THE BLESSING AT THE END OF MY CONFESSION HAS BEEN ENORMOUS.  IT FEELS SO GOOD TO FEEL CONTRITE ABOUT ANY WRONGS I MAY HAVE DONE AND EVEN BETTER TO KNOW I HAVE A ‘CLEAN SLATE’ SO TO SPEAK.  BECAUSE, LET’S FACE IT :  I AM GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES AGAIN.  I DON’T WANT TO BUT WE ALL DO, DON’T WE? 

SO THIS EVENING , BY THE DIM LIGHTS OF OUR LOVELY CHURCH, ACCOMPANIED BY SOFT , INSPIRING MUSIC I WAS ABLE TO HAVE A WEE CHAT WITH ONE OF THE 7 PRIESTS THAT MADE THE JOURNEY TO OUR CHURCH TO GIVE US THIS FREE GIFT FOR THE ASKING. 

I’M SO GLAD I ASKED.