Abuse of confession

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fons_vitae

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I think I was using confession as mere “fire insurance” while I continued sinning, although with less vigor than before. I think it’s for this reason that my work and school schedule has become so crowded that my confessions will be few and far between until about mid-March, to teach me to value this sacrament instead of just using it as a buffer. Does this seem plausible?
 
That sounds almost like a justification.
You need to be truly aware right now.
They say that ‘absence makes the heart grown fonder’, but equally, absence can cause something to fade from mind, to lose relevance…so I wouldn’t look at it that way myself.
In any case, if you didn’t have a firm intention of amendment, you were only kidding yourself, not God.
It doesn’t make for a valid absolution if one only goes to Confession as insurance without real intention to make best efforts not to sin again.

However you may be not representing yourself accurately, so only God and you know.

May God bless and give you strength.

All the best with your studies. 🙂
 
fons_vitae said:
I think I was using confession as mere “fire insurance” while I continued sinning, although with less vigor than before. I think it’s for this reason that my work and school schedule has become so crowded that my confessions will be few and far between until about mid-March, to teach me to value this sacrament instead of just using it as a buffer. Does this seem plausible?
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Well it sounds that you are either recognizing the effect that confession is having on your behavior i.e. to avoid the near occassion of sin … or you are recognizing that it is not having any effect at all and are in avoidance.
As long as you are not in mortal sin, then a good act of contrition before receiving Communion is sufficient. But - as always - given that we know not the time of our death; if you are in a state of mortal sin then, put everthing aside to attend to that very eternal matter.
And I believe from your post you may want to ask your parish priest for some counseling and guidance on confession and perhaps he can assist with “other” penances which would better assist with avoiding sin.
 
Trishie said:
It doesn’t make for a valid absolution if one only goes to Confession as insurance without real intention to make best efforts not to sin again.

However you may be not representing yourself accurately, so only God and you know.
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I meant, “as insurance with intention not to sin again, combined with an extremely weak will.” :o
 
Julian0404 said:
As long as you are not in mortal sin, then a good act of contrition before receiving Communion is sufficient. But - as always - given that we know not the time of our death; if you are in a state of mortal sin then, put everthing aside to attend to that very eternal matter.
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Don’t worry, I’m going to the next confession on Thursday… it’s been too long.
 
Are you saying that you went to Confession without the intention to cease from your sins? If that is the case then not only were your Confessions invalid and you were not forgiven but you committed a mortal sin by going to Confession with no intention of ceasing your sin. Basically if you purposely made an invalid Confession then you committed a mortal sin by purposely making an invalid Confession. I would strongly advise you that the next time you go to confession that you make sure you have contrition (are sorry for your sins), that you have a firm purpose not to sin again, and that you have a firm purpose to do your penance. If these three things are not present the Confession will not be valid and you will only be making a mockery of Confession and thereby you will be committing another mortal sin. I don’t mean to be harsh to you or anything. I am only trying to admonish the sinner by talking to you like this. It is a spiritual work of mercy to admonish the sinner.
 
fons_vitae said:
I think I was using confession as mere “fire insurance” while I continued sinning, although with less vigor than before. I think it’s for this reason that my work and school schedule has become so crowded that my confessions will be few and far between until about mid-March, to teach me to value this sacrament instead of just using it as a buffer. Does this seem plausible?
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If you’re like me, you probably have habitual sins, the kind you commit over and over. This was getting me down, and I thought I was abusing the sacrament as well. Rather than avoiding Confession (which would make the devil most happy, I’m sure), I explained my situation and my concerns to my confessor. Again, if you’re like me, when you’re in the confessional, you truly have the “firm purpose of ammendment” to “avoid the near ocassion of sin”, or you wouldn’t be there. I know I do. And, thank God, my confessor is understanding and encouraging. I am certain, in my case, that without frequent confession (in my case every week, but that’s just me) I would be a very hardened sinner. As it is, I see myself making progress away from those habitual sins, and I pray that you will too.
 
fons_vitae said:
I think I was using confession as mere “fire insurance” while I continued sinning, although with less vigor than before. I think it’s for this reason that my work and school schedule has become so crowded that my confessions will be few and far between until about mid-March, to teach me to value this sacrament instead of just using it as a buffer. Does this seem plausible?
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Something that is vital to confession is the firm resolve of amendment. That means we resolve not to do it again now. It dosen’t mean that we know we will never do it again. Nobody knows that. It is important that you regret what you did and in the here and now resolve not to do it. That does not meant that you are going to do it tomorrow. It just means that right now I regret what I did and am not going to do it. Nobody knows what may happen in the future. Anyone is capable of doing anything in the future. Resolve now not to do it and leave the future to your prayers for the Holy Spirit’s strength in the future.

Here is some advice from someone we can have full trust in.

“In trying to get rid of bad habits, it is of the greatest importance not to put off going to confession after a fall, and also to keep to the same confessor.” St. Philip Neri
 
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