S
springbreeze
Guest
Dear friends
Another one of those meditations that I keep reading and thought I’d post up here for anyone who wants a read at it.
WHAT CONFESSION REALLY DOES FOR YOU
Why do so many look upon Confession merely as a preparation for Holy Communion? They are almost afraid to approach our Lord in the Eucharist without Confession, even though they have no serious sin on their souls. And what is worse, were Holy Communion made impossible they would abandon their plans for Confession.
This lopsided theology overlooks the fact that Penance is a great Sacrament in its own right with many wondrous effects. In his encyclical on the Mystical Body, Pius the XII summed them up “To hasten daily progress along the road to virtue,” the saintly Pontiff wrote, "we wish the pious practice of frequent confession to be earnestly advocated. Not without inspiration of the Holy Spirit was this practice introduced into the Church…"
"By it genuine self-knowledge is increased – Christian humility grows – bad habits are corrected – spiritual neglect and tepidity are countered – the conscience is purified – the will is strengthened – a salutary self-control is attained – and grace is increased in virtue of the sacrament itself."
Genuine self-knowledge is increased. How difficult it is to gain even a slight insight into the motivations for our actions! It’s amazing, too, how many self-deceits we can indulge in by refusing to face up to the fact that we are sinners. This sacrament leads us to a healthy and wholesome consciousness of our sinfulness, thus making us also more compassionate of the failings of our fellowman.
Christian humility grows. Because humility is truth and this sacrament aids us to see ourselves exactly as we are in the sight of God. We should never look at our sins without looking at the Merciful Savior at the same time, else the weight of our sins could distract us from the healing mercy of God. That would be disastrous to your spiritual life!
Bad habits are corrected. Confession has a preservative function as well as a healing one. It does more than make us examine our habitual faults and seek out their causes; it tackles the problem at its roots by weakening the very tendencies to sin that are so deeply rooted in us. It guarantees you those special helps you need to unload that bad habit you want to lose.
The conscience is purified. The right kind of Confession gives a balance, a keenness, and a sensitivity to your conscience making it more attuned to the will of God. It sharpens your moral sense, and you find that your moral judgments on moral issues come more easily, and more accurately. Confession also enables you to get guidance and advice from one trained in the ways of human nature.
The will is strengthened. This is done in two ways: by undermining those sinful inclinations that make self-control by the will difficult; and by the giving of those actual graces that sustain and support the will in its fight for self-conquest. The sacrament, therefore, enables the will to overcome vice and of stay out of trouble – if used frequently!
With the increase of grace, comes a stepped-up union of your soul with God through sanctifying grace . . . and increased dwelling of the Holy Trinity in your soul . . . and a deepening of your personal friendship with our Blessed Lord.
These few points stress the necessity of frequent Confession in your quest for perfect love of God. This is the sacrament of “spiritual fitness.” If we don’t want to be spiritually flabby Christians, this sacrament must be used well – and often!
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God Bless you and much love and peace to you
Teresa
Another one of those meditations that I keep reading and thought I’d post up here for anyone who wants a read at it.
WHAT CONFESSION REALLY DOES FOR YOU
Why do so many look upon Confession merely as a preparation for Holy Communion? They are almost afraid to approach our Lord in the Eucharist without Confession, even though they have no serious sin on their souls. And what is worse, were Holy Communion made impossible they would abandon their plans for Confession.
This lopsided theology overlooks the fact that Penance is a great Sacrament in its own right with many wondrous effects. In his encyclical on the Mystical Body, Pius the XII summed them up “To hasten daily progress along the road to virtue,” the saintly Pontiff wrote, "we wish the pious practice of frequent confession to be earnestly advocated. Not without inspiration of the Holy Spirit was this practice introduced into the Church…"
"By it genuine self-knowledge is increased – Christian humility grows – bad habits are corrected – spiritual neglect and tepidity are countered – the conscience is purified – the will is strengthened – a salutary self-control is attained – and grace is increased in virtue of the sacrament itself."
Genuine self-knowledge is increased. How difficult it is to gain even a slight insight into the motivations for our actions! It’s amazing, too, how many self-deceits we can indulge in by refusing to face up to the fact that we are sinners. This sacrament leads us to a healthy and wholesome consciousness of our sinfulness, thus making us also more compassionate of the failings of our fellowman.
Christian humility grows. Because humility is truth and this sacrament aids us to see ourselves exactly as we are in the sight of God. We should never look at our sins without looking at the Merciful Savior at the same time, else the weight of our sins could distract us from the healing mercy of God. That would be disastrous to your spiritual life!
Bad habits are corrected. Confession has a preservative function as well as a healing one. It does more than make us examine our habitual faults and seek out their causes; it tackles the problem at its roots by weakening the very tendencies to sin that are so deeply rooted in us. It guarantees you those special helps you need to unload that bad habit you want to lose.
The conscience is purified. The right kind of Confession gives a balance, a keenness, and a sensitivity to your conscience making it more attuned to the will of God. It sharpens your moral sense, and you find that your moral judgments on moral issues come more easily, and more accurately. Confession also enables you to get guidance and advice from one trained in the ways of human nature.
The will is strengthened. This is done in two ways: by undermining those sinful inclinations that make self-control by the will difficult; and by the giving of those actual graces that sustain and support the will in its fight for self-conquest. The sacrament, therefore, enables the will to overcome vice and of stay out of trouble – if used frequently!
With the increase of grace, comes a stepped-up union of your soul with God through sanctifying grace . . . and increased dwelling of the Holy Trinity in your soul . . . and a deepening of your personal friendship with our Blessed Lord.
These few points stress the necessity of frequent Confession in your quest for perfect love of God. This is the sacrament of “spiritual fitness.” If we don’t want to be spiritually flabby Christians, this sacrament must be used well – and often!
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God Bless you and much love and peace to you
Teresa