Why Should I Go to Confession?
Sin is a fact of life. Whether we’re guilty of the sins of the flesh (such as adultery, fornication, masturbation, gluttony, drunkenness), sins of pride (anger, hard-heartedness, envy) or some other kind of moral failing, we all fall prey to sin. Some sins are called “venial,” because they weaken the life of grace in the soul and make it more likely that the person will fall into “mortal” (i.e., serious) sin — the kind of sin which, because of its gravity, extinguishes the life of grace in the soul. But all sins separate us from God.
As the Bible reminds, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).
The problem is that many people become comfortable with living in the state of sin (c.f., 1 John 5:16-17) and never really make any effort to turn their hearts back toward the Lord with repentance and a firm desire to avoid sin and grow in holiness. There are even those who live an outward life of apparent goodness, but inwardly, they are practicing sins that keep them from the relationship with the Lord that He desires for them. “He who says, ‘I know him’ but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).
The good news is that Jesus Christ wants to free you from the chains of sin, give you new life in grace and lead you to the heights of holiness. But he won't do that against your will. You must be willing to say “yes” to His gifts of grace and forgiveness. And the very first step along that path is to make a good, sincere, heartfelt confession of your sins.
Even if it's been many years since you last went to Confession, there's no reason to be afraid or to delay. You can change your life today, simply by discovering Christ and His mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation!
Let our resources enlighten you about the relevance and benefits of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We hope you will find the peace and healing you have been searching for.
Well, the quick answer is because that's the way God wants us to do it. In James 5:16, God, through Sacred Scripture, commands us to "confess our sins to one another." Notice, Scripture does not say confess your sins straight to God and only to God...it says confess your sins to one another.
In Matthew, chapter 9, verse 6, Jesus tells us that He was given authority on earth to forgive sins. And then Scripture proceeds to tell us, in verse 8, that this authority was given to "men"...plural.
In John 20, verses 21-23, what is the 1st thing Jesus says to the gathered disciples on the night of His resurrection? "Jesus said to them, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.'" How did the Father send Jesus? Well, we just saw in Mt 9 that the Father sent Jesus with the authority on earth to forgive sins. Now, Jesus sends out His disciples as the Father has sent Him...so, what authority must Jesus be sending His disciples out with? The authority on earth to forgive sins. And, just in case they didn't get it, verses 22-23 say this, "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.'"
Why would Jesus give the Apostles the power to forgive or to retain sins if He wasn't expecting folks to confess their sins to them? And how could they forgive or retain sins if no one was confessing their sins to them?
The Bible tells us to confess our sins to one another. It also tells us that God gave men the authority on Earth to forgive sins. Jesus sends out His disciples with the authority on earth to forgive sins. When Catholics confess our sins to a priest, we are simply following the plan laid down by Jesus Christ. He forgives sins through the priest...it is God's power, but He exercises that power through the ministry of the priest.
Song: Faithful
Faithful
(from the recording, Innocence)
CopyrightC 2003 Chris Muglia, Oregon Catholic Press.
www.soundmission.org
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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