Judas and confession

[ABostonCatholic]

Tonight I was reading a portion of the Passion according to St. Matthew, and something struck me. Perhaps, does the death of Judas reveal our need for the Sacrament of Confession?

Judas repented of his sin and he even returned his coins, which one might see as a penance, yet, rather than running after our Lord and seeking forgiveness and mercy, he choose death.

Isn’t this what we do something: repent without confession, and as a result, choose death?

Any thoughts or comments?

 

[Deidre]

I was reading this same passage last week and had a completely different thought! Judas actually went the the chief priest and said “I have sinned…” so in fact he did make a confession, didn’t he? Only thing is instead of the priests reconciling him back to God, they said “What’s that to us?” I was thinking, Judas did his part, the priest didn’t do theirs! But then again, maybe that wasn’t the role of Jewish priest. I was thinking maybe that’s one of the reasons Jesus gave the apostles the authority to forgive sins, so that they would understand that it is their responsibility to reconcile us back to God not condemn us!

 

[ABostonCatholic]

I don’t think it was within the Jewish priest’s authority to forgive his sin, for at least two reasons: 1) only the person harmed can forgive sins (remember, our priests are agents of God, who is forgiving us of sins commited against Him), and 2) no one, not even a priest, can forgive a sin for which he is an accomplice (so, if I go with my local priest and rob the convenience store across the street, I can’t go to that priest for confession should I feel contrition later on)

And if someone is truly repentent and seeks forgiveness but does not go to confession due to ignorance of the need of the sacrament, then they are not held fully culpable for their ignorance. However, many people today DO understand the need for the sacrament, even if from a practical perspective of “getting if off their chest.” I really think that the reason most Catholics fail to go to confession is either a DENIAL (versus ignorance of) the need to go, or out of FEAR of going (which I think is highly irrational. We need a name for it, if there isn’t one already…“Penitentiaphobia”?)