They are human too. What gives them the idea of how many penances they should assign others?
Your thoughts arent new. In fact this argument goes back to when Christ was on earth.
Luke 5:20-21 (bold from me):When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “
Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
As you can see, the Pharisees are thinking of Christ the same way you are thinking of your priest. “Only God can forgive sins. Who does this
man think he is to claim such a divine ability?!”
Of course, later in the passage we see Christ knows what is in their hearts. He performs a miracle by healing the man, hence showing that He did, in fact, have the divine power to not only heal, but to forgive sins.
Later he entrusts this duty/power/responsibility to His apostles:
John 20:22-23: "And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
This Apostolic succession has been kept for 2000+ years.
So, to wrap up, yes,your priest is a mortal man. And yes, he does have the authority granted him by Christ to hear confessions and grant forgiveness on behalf of Our Lord.
I always find the harsh ones the most interesting, I never really know what type of lifestyle they are living, yet here they are yelling at me and telling me to shape up.
The lifestyle of the priest is immaterial. I’m reminded of a story about St. Francis of Assisi. A group of townspeople were upset because their parish priest was notorious for breaking his vow of celebacy. The people went to St. Francis and complained, denouncing the priest for having a woman living in his house. They villified him and thought that they should not have to confess to this unrighteous man.
In response, St. Francis was taken to the priest. Upon meeting him St. Francis fell to his knees and kissed the priest’s hands- for those were the hands that blessed the Sacred Host and brought the Body of Christ into the world at every mass.
So, that’s one illustrative story. As for the rest, I suggest you open up your Bible and study any one of the figures depicted, whether OT prophet or NT apostle. I think you will find them all too human. We are all flawed creatures. Your priest is no different. He’s human like the rest of us, and I’m sure he has his flaws. His flaws, however, do not prohibit him from performing the work assigned to him. Remember, it is not by his own power that he is doing anything. The forgiveness of sins is through the power of God, simply worked through the priest. During the sacraments the priest is
In Persona Christi or “In the person of Christ”.
Why should I have to tell a random person who I do not even know well all my life’s failing with the trust that they are guided by the voice of God. Why can’t I hear God’s voice for myself?
Again, a very old argument. Check out the Old Testament where the people of Israel asked Moses the same thing. “Why should we listen to you? Why are you so special? Why doesn’t God just speak to us instead of talking through you?!”
I’ll let you look that one up yourself. It’s a good story.
If I already feel convicted of sins, why do I need a man to tell what I should do? Supposedly priests are closer to God then the average person, that is not always the case. I will take their word, but I have been distrustful of confessing my sins to a priest. They are not better than me.
See above. You aren’t being forgiven by the person of the priest. You are being forgiven by God, whom the priest is acting on behalf of.
And beware of pride, my friend. It’s the first of all sins.
Or is my hyperbole detector broken?
