Confession to a Priest

Q. One of my friends asked me why I have to go to a priest to confess my sins when God already knows what I’ve done. Why can’t I go to Him directly? And she also wanted to know how 10 or 20 Hail Mary’s are going to save me? I wasn’t sure how to answer, so I just said that’s what we believe. What should I have said?

A. I’d say your answer is a good start! Allow me to offer a few brief thoughts.

The first thing to consider is whether or not it is good to go directly to God when we confess our sins. This is most certainly a good idea. In fact, it has always been recommended as a good daily practice just before bed. So I definitely recommend that you examine your day each night and thank God for the good things and ask forgiveness for any sins. Going directly to God each night will undoubtedly help you to grow closer to Him.

But, as Catholics, we also believe that it is essential to regularly confess our sins to God through the ministry of priests. In other words, we believe that when we go to confession and confess our sins we are actually seeking God’s forgiveness, not just the priests. The priest stands as the minister of this wonderful gift of forgiveness.

So why do we do this? For one simple reason. Because we believe it’s what God wants. You may recall in John’s Gospel, chapter 20, that Jesus bestowed the Holy Spirit upon his first bishops, the Apostles, and told them, “who’s sins you forgive they are forgiven them.” Why would Jesus give the Apostles such an incredible ability if He did not want them to use it? Most certainly He had something important in mind when He said this. Jesus’ words and actions always have great significance. By commissioning His Apostles to go and forgive sins we understand that this is the ordinary way that Jesus wants to continue to bestow His forgiveness upon us all. And He did not intend this only for them. Rather, we can see in the Acts of the Apostles and from the earliest times of the Church that this sacred power was passed on from these first Apostles to others. It was passed on to new bishops as well as those who assisted the bishops in the early Church, the priests.

So it’s essential that we, as followers of Jesus, be open to His gift of forgiveness in the way that He chooses to give it to us. Since He is the source of forgiveness, He can choose how to give that gift to us.

As for 10 or 20 Hail Mary’s, I assume this is a reference to the penance that priests may give after confession. This is a wonderful practice to help us realize that just because we have been forgiven we have most likely not completely conquered our attraction to sin again. We need continued prayer and penance to do this. So whatever penance a priest gives is intended to help the person overcome future tendencies to sin in the same way again

So what should you have said? I think your answer was good in that it is difficult sometimes to give accurate answers to all the different questions that arise in our life of faith. When you are not sure what to say then it may be best to simply say, “this is what we believe.” But when this happens you are given a great opportunity to look deeper into the question so that you can have a better understanding of why you believe what you do.

(Taken from Catholic Q &A)

Answers to previous five queries

Should I Confess My Past Sins?

Why Confession? 

What is an Indulgence? 

Losing Faith in God? 

Do things go bad if we forget God?

Should I Confess Past Sins?

Q. I am 64 and continually go back frequently and recall previous sins that may have occurred 30 yrs ago and wonder if I had confessed them. What should I consider going forward?

A. It is a good idea when we are confessing our sins to a priest to add, after we have finished saying our most recent sins, something like “And for all the sins of my past life”“And for any sins which I may have forgotten.”  This is not to say that we can purposefully leave sins out of our confession or can leave them vague and undefined. Making these general statements is just acknowledging the weakness of human memory. We are not always sure if we have confessed all that our consciences’ bear, so we throw a sacramental blanket over past or forgotten behavior through the above statements, thus including them in the absolution the priest grants us.

Perhaps your question also includes a bit of concern over whether past sins, even sins of the rather remote past, have been truly forgiven if we can still remember them. Let me address that concern briefly.Sacraments have a purpose. Memory has another purpose. The Sacrament of Confession is not a form of brainwashing. It doesn’t pull a plug at the bottom of our brain and drain all of our memories out. We sometimes remember our past sins, even our sins from many years ago. The trace images of past sinful events that remain in our memory mean nothing theologically. Memories are a neurological or psychological reality. Confession is a theological reality.

The confession and absolution of our sins is the only form of time travel that actually exists. Despite all of the creative ways that authors and screenwriters have attempted to convey the ways in which we could go back in time, we can only do so theologically. The words of absolution of the priest extend backwards in time. Because the priest is acting in the person of Christ at that moment he is acting with the power of God, who is above and outside of time. God created time and does bend to its rules. So the words of the priest drift into the human past to erase the guilt, but not the punishment, due to sinful behavior. Such is the power of those simple words “I forgive you.” Who has ever gone to Confession, confessed their sins, asked for absolution, and then was told “no?” It doesn’t happen. If you confessed your sins they were forgiven. They may yet exist in your memory because you are human. But they don’t exist in God’s memory. And, finally, if the memory of past sins is bothersome, though they have been confessed, keep in mind that alongside of the memory of your sin there should be another memory equally vivid – the memory of your confession. That happened too!

(Taken from  Catholic Q & A)

Answers to previous five queries

Why Confession? 

What is an Indulgence? 

Losing Faith in God? 

Do things go bad if we forget God? 

How can we become Saints?

Why Confession?

 

Q. Why do we have confession? If God knows everything, why can’t we just tell him that we’re sorry when we do something wrong?

A. Confession may be one of the most difficult parts of our faith for some. But for others, Confession is something they deeply look forward to. Your question is a good one. Let me offer some thoughts.

First of all, it’s very true that “God knows everything.” We call that omniscience. So, yes, He knows everything you’ve done and He knows whether you are sorry for that or not. But there is a big difference between God “knowing” what you did and His act of forgiveness.

For example, if you sinned against a friend with whom you were very close and then you felt sorry for that it’s possible that your friend would realize, just by knowing you, that you were truly sorry. But that doesn’t mean that you can just presume on your friends goodness and forgiveness. The best thing to do, in this situation, is to actually sit down and tell your friend you are sorry and to have your friend tell you that you are forgiven. This very human exchange brings about reconciliation.

So it is with God. God is all merciful and wants to forgive us all our sins. But for true reconciliation to take place God wants you to actually say those words and then to hear the words, spoken by the priest, that you are forgiven. So Confessions is not only about God forgiving us, it is also about reconciliation with God on a human level.

What’s important to understand is that God offers us forgiveness in His way. He forgives us through a human being. Who is that human being? It’s the Father’s Son who became one of us. Jesus is the one who offers the forgiveness of God and Jesus is both fully God and human. But how does Jesus do that now that He has ascended back into Heaven? Well, before He ascended He gave His divine power of forgiveness to His first priests, the apostles. They, in turn, passed that power onto others who passed it on to others down through the ages all the way to our present age. Priests, despite the fact that they are imperfect themselves, have the spiritual power of Jesus to actually speak His words of forgiveness to others. Therefore, when a priest says. “I absolve you” we must hear Jesus Himself, as the human face of God, saying to us those same words.

Why did God choose to use priests to dispense His forgiveness? Honestly, we really don’t have a perfect answer to that question. Sure there have been wonderful writings and reflections and teachings on this subject throughout the history of the Church. But, in the end, we will only fully understand this mystery of how God gives us His forgiveness when we are in Heaven. For now, we must simply follow what Jesus taught and receive His forgiveness in the way we know He offers it.

And on a psychological level, I, as a priest, have seen so many people benefit from actually hearing those words spoken from my mouth. So many times I have seen people come into the confessional scared and ashamed and walk our freed and at peace. So it really works. Make sure you give it a try soon!

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the Question for Answers to previous five queries

What is an Indulgence? 

Losing Faith in God? 

Do things go bad if we forget God? 

How can we become Saints? 

The reason for me to go into Purgotory

What is an Indulgence?

Q. I was excited to watch the announcement of the new pope… I even got to watch it live. When it was over, I heard Pope Francis gave an indulgence even to people who watched on TV. I’ve heard of an indulgence, but I’m not really sure what that is. Can you explain it?

A. Indulgences are one of those gifts within our Church that few understand. I think, in the old days, they were practiced and spoken about far more often. But, perhaps because of confusion and misuse, they slowly drifted out of our regular church conversations. In recent years it is my experience that indulgences are being spoken of more often.

So, what is an indulgence? The official definition of an indulgence is this: “An indulgence is the remission in the eyes of God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose culpable element has already been taken away.” Hmmm, so what exactly does that mean?

I think the best way to understand this definition is to look at sin and its effects upon us. When we sin we need forgiveness. Forgiveness is offered to us freely through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If our sin is grave then we deserve eternal punishment. Confession eliminates this eternal punishment. Confession also forgives the guilt of our smaller sins. However, just because we have been forgiven does not mean that our attachment to that sin is eliminated also. For example, if someone confesses, with true sorrow, that they have been using foul language on a daily basis, then God will forgive them completely for all the times in the past that they have used foul language. However, this forgiveness does not necessarily mean that they have completely and totally broken the habit of sin. There is a good chance that, upon leaving the confessional, if they trip and fall down, they will be immediately tempted to use foul language. So what does this illustrate? It illustrates that we need not only forgiveness but also the grace to completely and totally detach ourselves from the habit of sin and the unhealthy attachment we have to sin. This is hard! It takes true conversion. But this is the reason for an indulgence.

The Church, specifically the pope, has the authority on earth to unlock the storehouse of grace in Heaven and let the faithful know that if they perform certain acts of piety, faith and devotion, they can be assured of the fact that God will pour down His graces upon them to help them enter more deeply into a complete detachment to all sin. So, for example, if someone spends at least a half an hour in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament they can receive a plenary indulgence as long as they also go to Confession and Communion within seven days before or after and offer prayers for the intention of the pope. When this is done, they receive a plenary (or full) indulgence. This means that every grace they need is available to them to completely detach from sin and to live in a perfect state of grace. Therefore, if they went to confession, received the indulgence and fully opened their heart to this grace through their conversion and love then, if they were to die at that moment, they would go straight to Heaven.

I think the most important thing to understand is that indulgences are simply another way of receiving the outpouring of grace that our God wishes to bestow upon us! This grace is given specifically for the purpose of detaching from our tendency to sin. And, it is for certain, that every grace we are given from God is necessary and should be sought out and received with much anticipation and gratitude. Hope that helps!

(Taken from Catholic Q & A)

Click on the Question for Answers to previous five queries

Losing Faith in God? 

Do things go bad if we forget God? 

How can we become Saints? 

The reason for me to go into Purgotory

Is it OK to hang Rosary over Car Mirrors?

PRAYER MEDITATION FOR GOOD FRIDAY

PRAYER MEDITATION FOR GOOD FRIDAY

My Most Glorious and Suffering Lord, it is Your Hour.  It is the Hour by which You conquered sin and death.  It is the Hour for which You came into this world, taking on flesh so as to offer Your precious life for the salvation of the world.

May I be with You, dear Lord, in these moments of suffering and death.  May I, like Your Mother, John and Mary Magdalene, stand at the foot of the Cross, gazing upon the perfect Gift of Love.

My suffering Lord, may I see in Your Cross the most perfect act ever known in this world.  May I see Love in its most pure form.  May my eyes and soul look beyond the blood and pain and see Your Divine Heart, pouring forth Mercy upon me and upon the whole world.

Today I kneel in silent adoration of You, my God.  I sit quietly, beholding the great mystery of our faith.  I behold God, beaten, bruised, mocked, tortured and killed.  But in this act, I see all grace and Mercy flowing from Your wounded Heart.  Bathe the world in Your Mercy, dear Lord.  Cover us with Your grace and draw us to new life through Your death.  I love You, dear Lord.  I love You with all my heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.

40th Day - At the Cross

40 DAYS AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS

DAY FORTY – THE SILENCE OF THE TOMB

They took the body of Jesus and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom. Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried. So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by. John 19:40-42

From an earthly perspective, all was lost, all was over. Jesus’ life had come to an end. His body lay in the tomb, the stone covered the entrance and His followers were scattered. Where was our Blessed Mother through all of this?

Though Scripture does not reveal her physical location, we can be certain that our Blessed Mother kept vigil from Good Friday until Easter Sunday. She kept vigil, first and foremost, in her heart. Throughout her life she continually pondered the mystery of her Son. She pondered His conception, His birth, the flight into Egypt, His childhood, and every moment of His public ministry. Over the past week she had pondered His suffering and His brutal death. But through all of this pondering, her Immaculate Heart was alive with confidence and perfect trust. Her mind perceived the wisdom of the Father’s plan and her heart gave it her full assent. She knew, without any shadow of a doubt, that the will of the Father was unfolding perfectly.

As our Blessed Mother prayerfully pondered the life and death of her Son that Holy Saturday, her heart would have been filled with a peaceful excitement and joy. She may not have known exactly how His Resurrection would unfold, but she knew with conviction that He would soon return to her. She did not allow despair to enter her Immaculate Heart for even a moment. Instead, she kept a prayerful vigil for her Son and awaited the fulfillment of His promise that He would rise on the third day. She had heard Him say this and she knew it was true. Her only duty now was to wait in vigilant prayer and expectation.

Hope is a supernatural gift from God. It’s not just wishful thinking or optimism. Hope is a gift by which God makes an interior promise to each one of us. The promises He makes are the perfect revelation of His divine will. As we hear Him speak His promises, we must respond with faith.

Reflect, today, upon this most sacred scene of Holy Saturday. While many were filled with despair and confusion, our Blessed Mother continued her vigil of hope. She knew, without any doubt, that glorious things were still to come. She knew that her Son had completed His mission of salvation and was on the verge of restoring new life to all who would turn to Him in their need. Reflect upon your own hope in the promise of God in your life. Allow the example of our Blessed Mother to inspire you. Allow her prayers to transform you. Do not doubt for a moment that God has great things in mind for you. For those who believe, the Resurrection is always but a moment away.

My dearest Mother, allow me to keep vigil with you as you waited in perfect hope for the Resurrection of your divine Son. Help me to understand the beauty of every virtue alive in your Immaculate Heart. Help me to understand that the suffering you endured brought forth the perfection of virtue in your life, especially the virtue of divine hope.

My dear Mother, pray for me that I may be open to the promises of your Son in my life. Pray that I may hear Him speak to me and reveal His perfect plan. May I trust in that plan, even when all earthly hope seems lost. May I follow your own Immaculate example and trust in your dear Son always.

My resting Lord, as You lay in the tomb that Holy Saturday, You filled the heart of Your dear mother with an abundance of hope as she awaited the fulfillment of Your promise. You also promise me, and all who believe, that the sufferings of life are not the end. Your Resurrection is before me and You promise to transform my life and the lives of all who trust in You. Give me the grace I need to keep vigil with Your dear mother no matter what cross I face in life.

Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

39th Day - At the Cross

40 DAYS AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS

DAY THIRTY-NINE – THE PIETÀ

Consider how, after Our Lord had died, He was taken down from the cross by two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, and placed in the arms of His afflicted Mother. She received Him with unutterable tenderness and pressed Him close to her bosom. (Thirteenth Station of the Cross, by Saint Alphonsus Liguori)

Our Blessed Mother was no longer standing before the foot of the Cross, gazing at her Son. Instead, Jesus’ body was laid in her arms and she held Him close to her Immaculate Heart.

Though this was a moment of profound sorrow at the death of Jesus, it was also a moment of profound intimacy. As our Blessed Mother held the body of her Son, she knew it was not the end. Though her heart was pierced deeply, she knew that her pain would turn into joy. She was relieved that His earthly suffering was over, but her relief began to turn into hope and anticipation as she pondered His death and future Resurrection.

As our Blessed Mother held her Son close, she would have reflected upon Jesus’ words spoken so often in His public ministry: “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day” (Matthew 17:22-23). She was witnessing His words come true. She knew that just as His prophecy regarding His death came true, so also His prophecy regarding His Resurrection would come true. “On the third day,” He said. Our Blessed Mother knew that her pain would soon be turned into joy as she began her vigil in anticipation of her Son’s Resurrection.

In most of our lives, we will face events that tempt us to despair. These events may be small encounters in our relationships with others that leave us feeling hopeless, discouraged and disappointed. At other times, we may encounter grave and tragic events that seem to leave us in utter desperation. The meaning of the Pieta, our Blessed Mother cradling the dead body of her Son, can never be exhausted. It’s an image of hope in the midst of seeming hopelessness. It’s an image of love that conquers all fear. It’s an image of faith in the perfect plan of God no matter what comes.

Reflect, today, upon this tender image of our Blessed Mother with the sacred body of her divine Son resting in her lap. Reflect upon her pain and sorrow. Ponder also her faith in the promise of her Son, her hope in the fulfillment of that promise, and her love which enabled her to press on through her own grief. There is much we can learn from our Blessed Mother. Her heart, in particular, was one that shone brightly with the perfection of every virtue. She is a pillar of grace and strength surrounded by suffering. She is an example for all.

My dearest Mother, I can only try to imagine the sorrow you felt as you held your Son close to your Immaculate Heart. But I know that your sorrow was also mixed with hope as you anticipated the fulfillment of His promise. In faith, you knew this grief was not the end. 

My loving Mother, strengthen my hope in the transformation of all sin and suffering in my life. As I encounter the hardships of life, pray for me that I may never despair. May I follow your example of faith, hope and love always. Please hold me close to your Immaculate Heart and pray that I may share in the Resurrection of your divine Son.

My dear Jesus, all earthly wisdom could not understand the meaning of Your suffering and death. By Your complete annihilation, You conquered the ruler of this world and destroyed his power over my life. May I see in this image of Your dead body a promise of Your Resurrection. As I encounter struggles in life, give me hope and trust that final victory is always found in You. 

Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.