How often do you go to Confession?

[Tradcat89]

Priests say they can tell how holy their congregation is by how many are in line for Confession. This is just a reminder on how important the sacrament of Confession is and hopefully maybe a reality check for you. Be honest with yourself!

 

[Nod]

Years ago I despised Reconciliation. I thought it ridiculous that I had to go to a person to get to God. But after many positive experiences through Christ Renews His Parish weekends I changed my view of the Sacrament and went maybe twice a year. Hey, Reconciliation is for those who really need to get unburdened, right.

Well, this past Lent I attended a lecture by Jack Shea, author of Gospel Light. He emphasized the need we all have for continual conversion, or metanoia. He defined metanoia as a changing of the mind - changing how one looks at the world. I truly wanted to “change my mind.”

I have also been influence by the Buddhist author Thich Nhat Hanh. I am greatly attracted to the Buddhist teachings on “practice,” which to me means consciously doing things, some simple and others more formal, to achieve ones spiritual goals.

So I wanted to truly change my mind by changing my practices. One change was to attend weekly Reconciliation. The first one was the hardest. It also made me realize why I once despised this Sacrament - I did have to confess something that had burdened me for many, many years. Since I wanted to “change my mind” I new I had to make a truly honest confession. For some reason the priest did not throw me out or even look at me in disgust. I was over the hard part. I continue to make weekly confessions. I have found a church when traveling, I have left family parties for a while to make Reconciliation.

I can tell you this for a fact - I have received sanctifying grace, and many once insurmountable temptations are deflected by this grace from God. I am not a different person, I have only allowed God’s grace to protect me.

There are few in line for Reconciliation, but there is also very limited available time offered by parishes. I have to attend a neighboring parish because my parish has very limited availablity.

Peace,

Nod

 

[Trinitatem]

Wow, Nod, I had a similar experience. One of the last confessions I attended, I received God’s grace. It was overwhelming. Suddenly I knew confession was all about love and reconciling with the Father. I floated on air for about three weeks. I have only experienced that feeling once before, and it was during my marriage ceremony.

I just kept thinking, "If this is just a touch of what God’s love feels like, imagine what it will be like when we experience it at 100% - his glory!

 

[workinprogress]

We are also being reconciled with all the faithful. We do hurt them by our sins indirectly. We are being reinstituted into the Body of Christ–the Church. This personal relationship with Jesus is not the only relationship with Jesus to be understood. Unfortunately, masses where people face each other instead of the tabernacle is a misguided understanding of the solcial dimension of our relationship with Jesus.

BTW When it comes to being inspired intellectually and spiritually by religious writings, reading heretical literature is a sin–I understand mortal too, if aware of this. Beware next time. What you read about “practice” may seem like just another good idea complimentary with Catholic teaching but, with it, could be uncomplimentary teaching. Sticking only with Roman Catholic teaching is the right thing to do in principle for that reason and because Christ gave us the full deposit of Faith. Maybe a non-Christian has come up with a take on something that coincidentally sounds like something Jesus might say but that non-Christian (or that of a non-Catholic-Christian)'s religion was not that guarded by the Holy Spirit and vulnerable to heresy in fundamental teachings. If a Catholic did not come to that conclusion first (before the Buddhist mentioned in a previous reply) and it was not given ecclesiastical approval, better not buy it so that you better recognize the Church as God’s only authorized voicepiece to mankind. The gods of the gentiles are devils is in psalms (we, though not Jews, have been given and have adopted the new covenant rejected by the Jews so that does not apply to Gentiles as a race who are Christian).

 

[MiKeEd]

I would recommend going to confession at least once a month. It has truly helped me to grow spiritually! The graces I have received from going to frequent confession have made a tremendous impact on my life. I try to go every week or two, but never longer than a month. Even if you are not in the state of mortal sin you can still go to confession, state your venial sins, and receive graces from God. WOW, what a gift God gave His church!!!