My confession today

[whatevergirl]

I thought I’d share something that I said in confession, today. It had been about 3 or 4 weeks since my last one, and during many confessoins, I have taken an inventory of the things I have said, and how they seem in a way to be justifying to God, my behaviors. For example…“I used bad language, when I was upset, BECAUSE…”

Today, something (someONE) told me to pause, and instead of justifying my behaviors, while asking for forgiveness (kind of defeats the purpose, no?) why not just surrender and tell the real reason. So, I said today…‘Father forgive me for these sins, I did them…(long pause)…because I’m…(long pause) a very weak person sometimes. Help me to be stronger to overcome these sins.’ It was very liberating to say this. I always knew I was and always will be a weak sinner, but saying it out loud during Confession was very…un-burdening. I have always uttered to God in prayer…that I’m weak, but not out loud in confession. Interesting. Very enlightening, and perhaps, I won’t repeat these same sins again.

Just wanted to share, and if you would like to share a moving confession experience, please feel free.

 

[lizaanne]

Oh gosh - wow, that actually brought tears to my eyes.

Humility is so very hard - you have made one more step toward holiness.

You go girl.

~Liza

 

[whatevergirl]

Hi lizaanne!

Yeah, it was something. It might seem small to maybe some reading this, but to me…it was a breakthrough. I might not have realized how I was selling myself a bit short in prior confessions. I always felt ‘cleansed,’ but then was quick to repeat some venial sins here and there…I think that it’s common to ‘defend’ our actions, from a secular point of view. I guess I just realized (thank you Holy Spirit for helping me see this today) that the real reason for my sins, is that I’m weak, and that there is ***no justification ***for my actions. I hope that doesn’t sound like I wasn’t contrite in the past, for I always have been…but, somewhere in my mind, maybe I felt like I had to explain why I did something…when there is no valid reason, except that I have been weak. The priest …where you are weak, Christ is strong…

 

[thevickinator16]

I thought I’d share something that I said in confession, today. It had been about 3 or 4 weeks since my last one, and during many confessoins, I have taken an inventory of the things I have said, and how they seem in a way to be justifying to God, my behaviors. For example…“I used bad language, when I was upset, BECAUSE…”

Today, something (someONE) told me to pause, and instead of justifying my behaviors, while asking for forgiveness (kind of defeats the purpose, no?) why not just surrender and tell the real reason. So, I said today…‘Father forgive me for these sins, I did them…(long pause)…because I’m…(long pause) a very weak person sometimes. Help me to be stronger to overcome these sins.’ It was very liberating to say this. I always knew I was and always will be a weak sinner, but saying it out loud during Confession was very…un-burdening. I have always uttered to God in prayer…that I’m weak, but not out loud in confession. Interesting. Very enlightening, and perhaps, I won’t repeat these same sins again.

Just wanted to share, and if you would like to share a moving confession experience, please feel free.

I wanted to thank you for that timely reminder of humility. Thinking back on my last confession, I hear that word “BECAUSE”. You are so on the money with this. I am guilty of this also. Reminds me of something along the lines of, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”.
It is so easy to take the blame off our self partially. Thank you again for your sharing.

 

[whatevergirl]

I wanted to thank you for that timely reminder of humility. Thinking back on my last confession, I hear that word “BECAUSE”. You are so on the money with this. I am guilty of this also. Reminds me of something along the lines of, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”.
It is so easy to take the blame off our self partially. Thank you again for your sharing.

lol, yes…that’s me…BECAUSE…



I’m glad I’m not alone though.

It’s strange, when I said the word, ‘weak’ I think I asked it in the form of a question…lol as though it wasn’t coming from me.

I paused, and normally, I would say…well, I did that because…but today, I stopped…and said, I guess I don’t have a reason, Father.

 

[thevickinator16]

Talking about confessions…In days of old (my childhood), we weren’t really taught much about the examination of conscience. The Priests in my parish knew you and knew most of what you were up to. Nowadays, priests are scarce and alway rushed. In our parish there is 2 priests sharing 2 congregations(2,000 people) and have confession at each church for 45 minutes at the same time. This is once a week. Most of the parishs here only have Sat confessions. This makes it impossible to get to one every time you need to confess. The worst thing is what if you commit a mortal sin and can not get to Sat confession. It scares me that if this happens and I die, then do I have to go to hell? Just something that’s been on my mind for awhile

 

[whatevergirl]

Talking about confessions…In days of old (my childhood), we weren’t really taught much about the examination of conscience. The Priests in my parish knew you and knew most of what you were up to. Nowadays, priests are scarce and alway rushed. In our parish there is 2 priests sharing 2 congregations(2,000 people) and have confession at each church for 45 minutes at the same time. This is once a week. Most of the parishs here only have Sat confessions. This makes it impossible to get to one every time you need to confess. The worst thing is what if you commit a mortal sin and can not get to Sat confession. It scares me that if this happens and I die, then do I have to go to hell? Just something that’s been on my mind for awhile

Hi thevick;

why would it be ‘impossible’ to get to confession, just because the number of priests/time alloted is limited? If you say were waiting in line, and the 45 minutes was ‘up,’ I’m sure the priest would still allow you to confess. Unless the time backs up against a mass, which happens at the parish we often go to for confession. (we don’t go to our present parish yet for confession, but plan to)

If you commit a mortal sin, and you are not able to go to confession, obviously, we need to abstain from receiving communion, but if you were to die before a proper confession to a priest, I believe that if we say an act of contrition, if we are truly not able to make it to confession, no fault of our own, say-our souls should not be in a state of danger…

I might be wrong on that…I’m hoping others chime in.

 

[DJgang]

I thought I’d share something that I said in confession, today. It had been about 3 or 4 weeks since my last one, and during many confessoins, I have taken an inventory of the things I have said, and how they seem in a way to be justifying to God, my behaviors. For example…“I used bad language, when I was upset, BECAUSE…”

Today, something (someONE) told me to pause, and instead of justifying my behaviors, while asking for forgiveness (kind of defeats the purpose, no?) why not just surrender and tell the real reason. So, I said today…‘Father forgive me for these sins, I did them…(long pause)…because I’m…(long pause) a very weak person sometimes. Help me to be stronger to overcome these sins.’ It was very liberating to say this. I always knew I was and always will be a weak sinner, but saying it out loud during Confession was very…un-burdening. I have always uttered to God in prayer…that I’m weak, but not out loud in confession. Interesting. Very enlightening, and perhaps, I won’t repeat these same sins again.

Just wanted to share, and if you would like to share a moving confession experience, please feel free.

Thanks for sharing.

It is so hard. I find myself talking myself out of confession with these justifications, then in a few days, it’s like God does a big smack and let’s me know I don’t have an excuse.

I had one priest tell me when I mentioned that I thought a certain person was going to send me to Hell, he said “Or she can send you to Heaven” …

Ouch ! :bowdown:

 

[Methodi]

I went to confession not long ago, I had some mortal sins to confess, after I told them Father said this to me, God knows man is weak, He knows your heart, He is not out to get us,Take everything that You are & Give it to Jesus & he will make something beautiful.Those words that day lit me up like a Christmas tree, I wrote them down , so I would never forget them this may sound corny to some, but to me it was awesome!Every time i go to confession, I look for him , cause he always says something beautiful

 

[whatevergirl]

I went to confession not long ago, I had some mortal sins to confess, after I told them Father said this to me, God knows man is weak, He knows your heart, He is not out to get us,Take everything that You are & Give it to Jesus & he will make something beautiful.Those words that day lit me up like a Christmas tree, I wrote them down , so I would never forget them this may sound corny to some, but to me it was awesome!

That is. Thank you for sharing.

 

[marthagreys]

Having grown up in a strong Southern Baptist home, very few things terrorized me like confession when I converted to the Catholic faith. With the way I grew up, if you committed a sin, the last person you would tell would be your pastor. I can still almost break out in a cold sweat thinking about my first couple of trips to the confessional. One day right before confession, I was going through my routine anxiety attack when I thought about the verse “Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and help in the time of need.” I wanted so much to read that verse, which I was sure was in I the book of James. I combed the entire book,frantically scanning it in hopes of reading that verse, wanting just a little bit of comfort before entering the confessional (gallows to me). Finally, with only a few minutes before the end of confession time, I went in without having found the verse. I sat in the chair, visibly trembling, facing the priest. He looked at me,picked up his Bible, said that he felt the Spirit wanted me to hear a verse, opened to HEBREWS 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly…” I knew that I had touched Heaven.

 

[LilyM]

It can be very liberating, and a sign of spiritual progress, when you do begin dropping the excuses and coming down to the roots of your faults and failings.

I know I’ve had moments when I’ve realised that several seemingly unconnected sins came from one root problem - selfishness, laziness, desire to impress others or what have you.

 

[Miraluna]

Whatevergirl, this was actually along the lines of my post on confession, which you responded to… your post made me realize that when I give details it is because I am trying to justify my sin…as if the sin can be covered or lost in all the verbage. I like what you shared and I am going to take a big gulp of humility and state things as they are…and not try to “dress them up” with my words. A sin is a sin is a sin…and it is ugly no matter what you try to do with it. Thanks for helping me see that.

 

[whatevergirl]

Having grown up in a strong Southern Baptist home, very few things terrorized me like confession when I converted to the Catholic faith. With the way I grew up, if you committed a sin, the last person you would tell would be your pastor. I can still almost break out in a cold sweat thinking about my first couple of trips to the confessional. One day right before confession, I was going through my routine anxiety attack when I thought about the verse “Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and help in the time of need.” I wanted so much to read that verse, which I was sure was in I the book of James. I combed the entire book,frantically scanning it in hopes of reading that verse, wanting just a little bit of comfort before entering the confessional (gallows to me). Finally, with only a few minutes before the end of confession time, I went in without having found the verse. I sat in the chair, visibly trembling, facing the priest. He looked at me,picked up his Bible, said that he felt the Spirit wanted me to hear a verse, opened to HEBREWS 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly…” I knew that I had touched Heaven.

I’m in shock…in a good way. That is truly a beautiful story–thanks for sharing! :hug1:

 

[whatevergirl]

Whatevergirl, this was actually along the lines of my post on confession, which you responded to… your post made me realize that when I give details it is because I am trying to justify my sin…as if the sin can be covered or lost in all the verbage. I like what you shared and I am going to take a big gulp of humility and state things as they are…and not try to “dress them up” with my words. A sin is a sin is a sin…and it is ugly no matter what you try to do with it. Thanks for helping me see that.

Thank the Holy Spirit, He was the one in charge in that confessional earlier today, not me. hahahaha! :getholy:

Nice to meet you…hope to read more of your interesting threads.:tiphat:

 

[baltobetsy]

Sometimes as I prepare for Confession, I have things all neatly arranged and I’m almost ready to congratulate myself on having such a sensitive conscience, when the Holy Spirit comes around to tell me, “What a load of cr**! Here, confess these humiliating things instead.” It happens a lot, actually. So now I always start with the most humiliating thing. It feels quite daring.

Betsy

 

[acadian]

Martha and methodi - love your stories!

I had a confession a few months ago that was difficult from the time I started to prepare until I walked out of the confessional. I usually write things out ahead of time - it helps me to see it better - and then condense them into a short list - post-it note size. It was SO hard to write out that particular list without justifiying what I had done.

When I got to church my heart was pounding. I felt like I had run a marathon. The past several confessions I had just breezed through - with barely a sweaty palm, so this really caught me off guard.

It didn’t get any better when I went into the confessional. I felt like I could barely talk and was SO glad I had my “list” because I pretty much just put my head down and read off the list. When I was done, I got one of the toughtest penances I’ve ever gotten and I didn’t feel all that relieved when I left.

I knew it was my pride hurting. While I don’t think anything on the list was mortal, there were some things that were very humbling.

This was before daily Mass, and the gospel that day was about the widow who put her last 2 coins in the collection. During the homily, Father said that she realized that Jesus was worthy of everything she had. We also need to know that Jesus is worthy of EVERYTHING we have - even our sinfulness - holding nothing back. And since I had just “been there, done that” that helped some.

Betsy, I sometimes also think I have my “list” figured out when something else pops into my head, and I want to say, “Not THAT, God. I don’t want to have to say THAT.” But I figure it’s the Holy Spirit helping me uncover the things that need to be uncovered, so I go with it. Daring, eh? Humility never killed anyone.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Having grown up in a strong Southern Baptist home, very few things terrorized me like confession when I converted to the Catholic faith. With the way I grew up, if you committed a sin, the last person you would tell would be your pastor. I can still almost break out in a cold sweat thinking about my first couple of trips to the confessional. One day right before confession, I was going through my routine anxiety attack when I thought about the verse “Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and help in the time of need.” I wanted so much to read that verse, which I was sure was in I the book of James. I combed the entire book,frantically scanning it in hopes of reading that verse, wanting just a little bit of comfort before entering the confessional (gallows to me). Finally, with only a few minutes before the end of confession time, I went in without having found the verse. I sat in the chair, visibly trembling, facing the priest. He looked at me,picked up his Bible, said that he felt the Spirit wanted me to hear a verse, opened to HEBREWS 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly…” I knew that I had touched Heaven.

That is awesome! A prime example of the priest acting in the person of Christ. Jesus was talking to you through the priest. Thank you for giving me something to remember when I get Confession anxiety.

 

[whatevergirl]

Thank you very much, everyone, for sharing your confession stories. I feel so uplifted right now!:heaven: