Difference between graces received by repenting with confession and repenting without?

[JSAD]

Hello,

As the title suggests, i am trying to understand what is the difference between the graces received through absolution(from a Priest) and the graces i receive if i confess my sins directly to God.

I usually do both. When i sin i ask God’s pardon and forgiveness as soon as i can or convicted. Then when confession is available i go to the priest and ask for absolution.

What is the difference between the two, i believe in both cases God’s forgiveness is available right? If so do i receive more ‘power’ to overcome sin through the sacrament of reconciliation and that is why i must go to confession?Additionally, the sacrament prepares me to receive the Eucharist?

Are the above two the main reasons why the Sacrament is recommended over just a 'plain heartfely i’m sorry to God ’ ?

Thanks!

 

[Bookcat]

Catechism

Contrition

1451 Among the penitent’s acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again."50

1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.51

1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.52

(PS: venial sins can be forgiven in many ways…prayer etc…but it is recommended highly to confess them -at least some of them)

(in terms of any mortal sin …one must of course have the intent to confess it as soon as possible and later confess it…even if one had perfect contrition)

 

[Bookcat]

More

The confession of sins

1455 The confession (or disclosure) of sins, even from a simply human point of view, frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others. Through such an admission man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible.

1456 Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: "All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly."54

When Christ's faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, "for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know."55

1457 According to the Church’s command, "after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year."56 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.57 Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.58

1458 Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.59 Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful:60

Whoever confesses his sins . . . is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear "man" - this is what God has made; when you hear "sinner" - this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made. . . . When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light.61

IX. THE EFFECTS OF THIS SACRAMENT

1468 "The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God’s grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship."73 Reconciliation with God is thus the purpose and effect of this sacrament. For those who receive the sacrament of Penance with contrite heart and religious disposition, reconciliation "is usually followed by peace and serenity of conscience with strong spiritual consolation."74 Indeed the sacrament of Reconciliation with God brings about a true “spiritual resurrection,” restoration of the dignity and blessings of the life of the children of God, of which the most precious is friendship with God.75

1469 This sacrament reconciles us with the Church. Sin damages or even breaks fraternal communion. The sacrament of Penance repairs or restores it. In this sense it does not simply heal the one restored to ecclesial communion, but has also a revitalizing effect on the life of the Church which suffered from the sin of one of her members.76 Re-established or strengthened in the communion of saints, the sinner is made stronger by the exchange of spiritual goods among all the living members of the Body of Christ, whether still on pilgrimage or already in the heavenly homeland:77

It must be recalled that . . . this reconciliation with God leads, as it were, to other reconciliations, which repair the other breaches caused by sin. The forgiven penitent is reconciled with himself in his inmost being, where he regains his innermost truth. He is reconciled with his brethren whom he has in some way offended and wounded. He is reconciled with the Church. He is reconciled with all creation.78

1470 In this sacrament, the sinner, placing himself before the merciful judgment of God, anticipates in a certain way the judgment to which he will be subjected at the end of his earthly life. For it is now, in this life, that we are offered the choice between life and death, and it is only by the road of conversion that we can enter the Kingdom, from which one is excluded by grave sin.79 In converting to Christ through penance and faith, the sinner passes from death to life and "does not come into judgment."80

scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a4.htm#VII

 

[Hecares]

What I am getting from Bookcat’s post is that:

Mortal sin is not completely forgiven except through confession.

We may not receive the Eucharist until we have received absolution for mortal sin.

We are required to confess all mortal sins at least once a year.

We receive grace from the sacrament of reconciliation that helps us to avoid sin in the future.

I’d like to add that Jesus instituted the sacrament of reconciliation as the means for our sins to be forgiven. He breathed on the apostles and said, "Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven them. Whose sins you retain, they are retained. " The apostles received the power to forgive sins or not. They passed this on to their successors down to the present day bishops. The priest receives the power through his bishop. In order to make the decision to forgive or retain sins, the priest must know what your sins are. Hence you must tell them to him.

In recent years, priests have developed a more compassionate attitude toward penitents. They often use confession as a time to talk to the person about his sins, and maybe help him figure out how to avoid them in the future.

In addition to being unable to receive the Eucharist in mortal sin, you may not receive some of the other sacraments in the state of mortal sin: confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders. You are also unable to receive the graces that God makes available to us if we only accept them. How many graces are lost when we delay receiving the sacrament of reconciliation!

 

[JSAD]

Thanks for the replies…it’s a lot of food for thought.

It seems like the main reason to go for confession is to confess mortal sins and be in a state to receive the sacraments.

It seems like venial sins can be forgiven through repentance directly to God. Though in order to prevent venial sins from becoming a mortal sin regular confession is advisable.

But how would i know if i have committed a mortal sin? Is it the duty of the priest who hears my confession?

I struggle with a sin and have regularly confessed it(sexual sin -porn, lust etc). But the priest has never pointed it out if it was mortal or not. Sometimes it just feels like i go through the motions and i wonder if the confession and absolution is having any effect on me, in the sense that it prevents me from sinning further.

A few more questions

1. Do i need to confess better?Just wondering when i will see a major ‘breakthrough’ in this battle.

2)When Jesus said ‘Whosoevers sins you forgive they are forgiven’ didn;t mean that with respect to each ondividual persons relationship with another. Meaning if person A wronged B then unless B forgave A God would not forgive their sin?