I went to confession a couple weeks ago and confessed some probably serious sins. I didn’t go in to the confessional thinking “I’m just going to go and commit those sins again anways,” but my resolution not to commit those sins wasn’t very strong. I did ask God to help me not to commit those sins again, but I’m not sure that I really had a firm purpose of amendment.
Was this a goo confession or not?
Confession is about focusing on the now, and not peering into the future and
letting the imagination run away. I must say to myself, right now I hate this,
and I do not want this. Not gazing into the past where the failures occurred.
Focus on the now. This may be the time that God’s grace and our resolve
come together in spiritual success. I was always taught that it was the
present intention and moment that counts. We cannot undo the past, only
God can do that. We cannot know the future, only God can know that.
“Nothing is impossible with God” Jesus said. This is what the
confession gives, great grace to help us. “Ask and you will receive”
Jesus said. In the confessional this is what we do, we ask.
This implies that we put our trust in him at this moment for a
firm resolve.
“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
