Confession and repeating sin

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NBCanadian

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I have serious problem. I commit the same sins over and over. I try to avoid doing it. I confess it every time I go to confession. My priest says not to worry. To trust in God’s mercy, and I do, but I’d like to know how to stop once and for all. It is of course a sin of the flesh, and try as I do, I fall into it over and over. I need help and advice.
 
You won’t be surprised to hear that your is a very common problem for Catholics everywhere, and even a common question here in CAF.

I just searched google for Catholic “confessing the same sins over and over”.

Look at the results!

Some of the best advice I’ve heard on this is to regard confession as like pulling weeds from the garden. You know they’re just going to come back, but if you don’t pull them out regularly then they’ll quickly overtake your garden. This was in a book by a priest, by the way.

And, priests certainly don’t mind you confessing the same sins over and over!

See I don’t want to go to confession because…, by Fr Angel Sotelo
 
First, keep confessing regularly. As Edmundus indicates, many often confess the same sins every time they go to the confessional. It may ashame us, but it also humbles us, and gives us the humility necessary for the renewal of our friendship with God.

As for squelching this sin and its causes, though, consider introducing morning meditations and evening examens. Formulate an intention shortly after waking every morning regarding what what vice you want to combat, and take account of how often you drifted into a thought or reacted to something in an improper manner throughout the day, recollecting the entire day as a total before sleeping. A sort of vigilance like so can only make our consciences purer.
 
Thanks! 😊 I guess “you know who” was trying to get me to doubt and feel defeated. I will try what you suggest. I guess my major failing is not crying out for help enough to Jesus and the Saints. I am happy for your advice. Bless you! 🙏😇
 
NBCanadian said:
I have serious problem. I commit the same sins over and over. I try to avoid doing it. I confess it every time I go to confession. My priest says not to worry. To trust in God’s mercy, and I do, but I’d like to know how to stop once and for all. It is of course a sin of the flesh, and try as I do, I fall into it over and over. I need help and advice.
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We keep going to confession and repeating the same sins. Everyone does. But each time we confess wih the proper disposition, we gain grace. Our consciences are better formed. We experience some of the responsibility and pain from having sinned. We eventually grow in the ability to avoid sins - even if these are small and temporary victories, they give us hope and eventually momentum. Keep trying. Never give up hope. Never despair. Use repeated failures as an opportunity to grow in humility. With that grace we’re eventually better equipped to overcome the habitual sins.
 
If one falls - repent and resolve against mortal sin - as is called for in confession (obviously one cannot intend to fall again- though of course on might “fear” that one might fall - that is different.)

Have Faith in Christ - Repent - resolve against all mortal sins - and the near occasions of such - pray often- frequent the Sacraments- have a regular confessor if you can - and hold fast to Christ in love and faith and hope. And pray to Our Lady and the Saints and your Guardian Angel.
 
Let us remember Jesus of Nazareth is The Lamb and the Good Shepherd …

“Jesus is called the Lamb: He is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. Someone might think: but how can a lamb, which is so weak, a weak little lamb, how can it take away so many sins, so much wickedness? With Love. With his meekness. Jesus never ceased being a lamb: meek, good, full of love, close to the little ones, close to the poor. He was there, among the people, healing everyone, teaching, praying. Jesus, so weak, like a lamb. However, he had the strength to take all our sins upon himself, all of them.
“But, Father, you don’t know my life: I have a sin that…, I can’t even carry it with a truck…”.
Many times, when we examine our conscience, we find some there that are truly bad! But he carries them. He came for this: to forgive, to make peace in the world, but first in the heart. Perhaps each one of us feels troubled in his heart, perhaps he experiences darkness in his heart, perhaps he feels a little sad over a fault… He has come to take away all of this, He gives us peace, he forgives everything. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away sin”: he takes away sin, it’s root and all! This is salvation Jesus brings about by his love and his meekness. And in listening to what John the Baptist says, who bears witness to Jesus as the Saviour, our confidence in Jesus should grow. Many times we trust a doctor: it is good, because the doctor is there to cure us; we trust in a person: brothers and sisters can help us. It is good to have this human trust among ourselves. But we forget about trust in the Lord: this is the key to success in life. Trust in the Lord, let us trust in the Lord! “Lord, look at my life: I’m in the dark, I have this struggle, I have this sin…”; everything we have: “Look at this: I trust in you!”. And this is a risk we must take: to trust in Him, and He never disappoints.”

~Pope Francis

vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/homilies/2014/documents/papa-francesco_20140119_omelia-parrocchia-sacro-cuore-gesu_en.html

"Jesus is the “Good Shepherd” who goes in search of lost sheep, who knows his sheep and lays down his life for them (cf. Mt 18:12-14; Lk 15:4-7; Jn 10:2-4, 11-18). He is the way, the right path that leads us to life (cf. Jn 14:6), the light that illuminates the dark valley and overcomes all our fears (cf. Jn 1:9; 8:12; 9:5; 12:46).

He is the generous host who welcomes us and rescues us from our enemies, preparing for us the table of his body and his blood (cf. Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25); Lk 22:19-20) and the definitive table of the messianic banquet in Heaven (cf. Lk 14:15ff; Rev 3:20; 19:9). He is the Royal Shepherd, king in docility and in forgiveness, enthroned on the glorious wood of the cross (cf. Jn 3:13-15; 12:32; 17:4-5)."

~Pope Benedict XVI

vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20111005_en.html

"I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”.[1] The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms.

Now is the time to say to Jesus: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace”. How good it feels to come back to him whenever we are lost!

Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy.

Christ, who told us to forgive one another “seventy times seven” (Mt 18:22) has given us his example: he has forgiven us seventy times seven. Time and time again he bears us on his shoulders.

No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love. With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, he makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew. Let us not flee from the resurrection of Jesus, let us never give up, come what will. May nothing inspire more than his life, which impels us onwards!"

~ Pope Francis

APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
EVANGELII GAUDIUM

w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html#I.%E2%80%82A_joy_ever_new,_a_joy_which_is_shared
 
I understand tiring of repeatedly confessing the same sins. But it’s not like you want new sins to confess! It is easy to be habituated to all sorts of sin which is to say to have a vice. Sins of the flesh are hard to get away from once habituated. It’s not likely, baring significant grace, that it will just go away. You’ll have to work hard on it and it might require some help.

I get tired of confessing the same sins. But never despair. We are on a journey to holiness. Like any journey it can be tough but the destination is worth it.
 
I’ve heard a priest say that confessing the same sin over and over is preferable to going out and exploring whole new ways to sin. 😃
 
Yeah, that sounds logical. 😊 We all have to accept that we’re weak and need Jesus.
 
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