Jesus gave to His Church 7 very special gifts we call Sacraments. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the Sacraments are "An efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us through the work of the Holy Spirit. (CCC 1131). These 7 gifts are the Sacrament's of: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation (Confession), Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony.In this article we will discuss the Sacrament of Reconciliation or "Confession". I want to write and explain each of the 7, but I must begin with this one, in part because I have in my lifetime, utilized this Sacrament frequently, and therefore I should be an expert and I should be able to explain this with ease right? Wrong, for you see we can't explain why thie Sacrament of Reconciliation is most likley the most precious gift ever given to mankind without also explaining to those who do not understand it, why this must be done with a Catholic Priest.
That statement in itself provokes a lot of eye rolling and a lot of humor among non Catholics. Most non Catholics either believe they must either confess there sin directly to God or to one another. Even some Catholics don't understand why we must utilize the Ministry of the Church to gain forgiveness for our sins and receive our penance.
Another statement I'm going to make does not just provoke eye rolling, but can, in some folks, provoke a genuine feeling of disgust or anger. When I say that the most powerful words I have ever heard in my lifetime are; "God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son, has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sin, through the ministry of the Church. May God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Woo who, man I love those words! But many cringe at the thought of the words "I absolve you of your sins". They say no man has the authority to forgive sins. So let's get right to it.
In John 20:19–23 AND Let's just go ahead and read it; "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
It's cut and dry. It is crystal clear. It is without doubt that in this passage, Jesus Christ gives to the Apostles and His Church, the ability to forgive the sins of others.
Jesus was the only human being to ever have authority to forgive sins and He did so frequently while He walked with us. For those who say that only God can forgive sins, I say You’re absolutely right. Only God can forgive sins. In Mark 2:1–12 we find what you are saying in the story of the healing of the paralytic. When Jesus saw the paralytic, he said to him, "Your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:5). The scribes gave the same objection that objectors raise—that is, that only God can forgive sins. They asked, "Who can forgive sins except God alone?" And they were right. But notice how Jesus changes this later in the story. He performs the miracle of healing precisely to show that "the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (Mark 2:10). So what was once only in heaven is now on earth because Jesus has the authority to forgive.
Let’s go deeper. The formula of absolution by the Priest bestows peace on the sinner with the words, "May God give you pardon and peace." These words are real familiar to Jesus’ words in John 20:19 and 21, "Peace be with you." Jesus wished peace on his followers. He also gave that peace to the Apostles by breathing on them the Holy Spirit. A very strong argument for what this means is this; in John 20: 22, "He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’" The formula states this important role of the Holy Spirit when it says that God "sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sin." The Holy Spirit is alive and well in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and is THEE key player of bringing Christ’s forgiveness to sinners.
I can tell you from a personal standpoint, that one of my best friends is a Evangelical, in fact, he is studying to be a Minister in his faith. I practice with him the protestant form and belief of confessing to one another. I must admit that it gives me a little more time to discuss my sins, I’m less nervous about confessing my sins with my buddy and I have received a great amount of fruit from our confessions and discussions. Having said this, I think Jesus knew exactly what He was doing in instituting this Sacrament and putting it into the hands of the Priests of the Church. So I do both. I confess to my buddy, (we keep each other in check) but then I can’t wait to get to a confessional. I hope you’re not reading this and gasping for air, let’s admit it, WE ARE ALL SINNERS. If you have never been in a confessional, it is a very humbling experience. Imagine for a moment, assuming you’re not Catholic, going in to the Pastor or the head Elder of your Church and having to tell him how bad you have been. Let’s say you got extra cash back at the grocery store when the cashier made change and didn’t say anything, you just kept it. Maybe you refused giving a handout to a person in need. How about, you lusted in your heart for the neighbors wife as she paraded around her back yard in her bikini. Or worse, you acted that lust out with your neighbors wife all without your wife knowing a thing. Think about that for a moment. In the Catholic Church, confessing the sins I just mentioned, to a very holy man who has forsaken MONEY, MARRIAGE AND SEX for the kingdom of God. Then let’s take a step further, imagine being a repeat offender and meeting this man to tell him your failures again. It is not like confessing to your buddy, it is very very humbling!
With all that said, I do not want to leave the impression that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a place to be scared of. As humbling as it is and as hard as it is sometimes to do it, I still go and have had some of the most powerful moments of my life inside those walls, in front of that Holy man, with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Confessing your naughty’s to a Priest in a Holy setting, in front of Christ and the Holy Spirit joined together is powerful.. If you are Catholic, the Church says that it is mandatory for you to receive Reconciliation no less than once a year. To become Catholic or for more information visit http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/HOW2.htm
Father John Corapi puts it this way; Sin is like driving a nail into your soul therefore creating a wound. A major or mortal sin is like using a huge railroad spike, a minor or venial sin is like using just a regular nail. In either case, Reconciliation removes these spikes and or nails from the soul and receiving absolution and receiving and doing the penance begins the healing of those wounds.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is the sacramental celebration in which, through God’s mercy and forgiveness, the sinner is reconciled with God and also with the Church, Christ’s Body, which is wounded by sin. CCC |
