Mr. Carlos D'Souza
NO NEED OF CONFESSION?
Lost the sense of sin – conscience dull, hearts hardened ?
Busy ?
Outdated ?
Priest a sinner ?
You confess, yet continue to sin
Confess directly to God Psalms 32:5
To one another James 5:16
Scriptural Base - John 20:23; Matthew 16:19
What is this Sacrament? Conversion, Confession, Forgiveness, Penance, Reconciliation.
Triple effect: Those who approach the SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION obtains pardon from God’s mercy; experiences forgiveness and peace and are at the same time reconciled with the Church which they have wounded with their offence.
Process begins with the Conscience, examination, realisation of our sinfulness, In the light of God’s Word - 10 commandments, The moral catechesis of the Gospel, sermon on the mount, apostolic letters and teachings.
Conversion : not merely external like sack cloth but internal, inner conversion. Without this, external signs are sterile and meaningless.
St Ambrose quotes: 2 types : water and tears.
It is a radical reorientation of our whole life turning from sin to God. It is the grace of God who makes our hearts return to Him. The human heart is converted by looking at Jesus who was pierced with our sins, wounded with our transgressions and bruised with our iniquities
Contrition : Is Sincere sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sins committed, together with the resolution not to sin again. Contrition is perfect when in springs forth from the realisation that I have offended God who is infinitely good and is to be loved above all and everything. Otherwise it is imperfect.. fear of hell, damnation, punishment.. (10 make it 20). Is 61:2; A humble contrite heart O God you will not spurn.
Confession : To a priest is an essential part of this sacrament. The faithful should strive to confess all the sins they can remember. Placing them all before the divine mercy for pardon. Some are ashamed and withhold the disclosure so they place nothing before the divine mercy for forgiveness through mediation of a priest. If a sick person is ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the doctor cannot prescribe the right treatment and the medicine cannot heal.- Once a year before Easter. Person having committed a mortal sin should not receive communion without the absolution even though there is conversion and sincere contrition.
Penance: Many sin causes harm to our neigbhour. One must repair the harm (return the stolen goods, restore the reputation slanders, compensate for injuries inflicted). It can consist of a prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service of neighbour, voluntary self denials, sacrifices, patients acceptance of the cross we must bear. These practices help us to configure us to Christ. They allow us to become co-heirs with Christ. Rm 8:17 . This is called satisfaction or expiation of our sins. Penance has to be imposed according to the gravity of the sin or the situation of the penitent.
Absolution : Only God can forgive sins. Jesus had authority from the Father to forgive sins. Christ gives this power to men to exercise in His name. He has entrusted the exercise of the power of absolution to the apostolic ministry and charged them with the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Cor 5:20
God the Father of mercies, through the death and the resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore when a priest celebrates the sacrament of Reconciliation, he is fulfilling the role of Christ as the Good Shepherd who seeks the lost, the Good Samaritan who binds the one who is wounded. The divine physician who heals the sick. The priest is the sign and the instrument of God’s merciful love to the sinner. The priest cannot disclose the sins to any other person. He is bound by the sacramental seal.
Effects of the Sacrament:
Reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace-reconciliation with the Church-remission of eternal punishment incurred by mortal sin-peace and serenity of conscience and spiritual consolation - increase of spiritual strength for Christian life.
David, Peter, Mary Magdalene, Zachaeus, the prostitute who washed the feet of Jesus, the publican, the prodigal son, the dying thief on the cross. Experience spiritual resurrection.