Bad confession?

[Veronica97]

I went to confession today, and I confessed “For a day or two, I allowed my heart to stray from my spouse to another man.” (which is a venial sin according to my Examination of Conscience.) It was true that for a day or so I was fighting against romantic feelings for this person, but I knew these feelings were wrong, and I did pray throughout the day for God to help me. I almost said, “but I fought against this and prayed for help” but I didn’t b/c I thought that would be “justifying” my sin. The way I said it, it sounds like I thought constantly, without resistance, of this person for a day or two, although I just said “for a day or two” so the priest would know that I overcame it. Now I am worried that I may have made a bad confession b/c I exaggerated my sin. Perhaps it was only temptation several times throughout the day and not a venial sin. Should I go back to confession and reconfess? Am I still absolved?

 

[Christy_Beth]

You don’t need to go back to confession. After all, you said “for a day or two.” Right? That was what happened, and you don’t need to explain everything to the priest to get forgiveness. He’s probably heard it all as it is.

 

[nodito]

The priest would have asked for additional details if he needed them. You’ve been completely forgiven and there’s no need to reconfess; it’s the devil that’s tempting you to doubt God’s love and forgiveness.

 

[Veronica97]

Thanks. I just keep feeling like I overstated my sin. That maybe some of it was feelings I just couldn’t help and I struggled against them. I had this all written out on paper too, so I would choose the right words, and I still feel like I didn’t get it right. I should have said, “For a day or two I struggled against letting my heart stray from my husband to another man.”

 

[DexUK]

You confessed what you did with the honest intention of doing so. You did not alloy it or play it down. You stated the facts. You were absolved, through the priest, by God. Whether it was mortal or venial is now irrelevant.

What you need to do now is allow yourself to experience that absolution. You need to forgive yourself for your temporary aberrance and move on. Let yourself receive the peace and the Grace that is yours by right of that absolution.