Anatomy of a Confession—A Lenten Reflection.
Confession/Reconcilliation/sacrament of Penance-The name of the sacrament is a dead giveaway as to what it does, but for those with little or no knowledge of the meaning of terms commonly used by Catholics here is your explanation.
Reconciliation is the act or state of re-establishing friendship between God and a human being, or between two person. When one sins, after baptism, this sacrament is needed to restore one’s relationship with God. Also, since all Christians are connected together through the body of Christ this sacrament reconciles one with the church. Belive it or not, but when one sins not only is it he/she destroying their relationship with God, but he/she also destroys their relationship with other Christians. Sin damages or even breaks fraternal communion. This sacrament restores it.
In list form the spiritual effects of this sacrament are:
*.reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace;
*.reconciliation with the Church;
*.remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins;
*.remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin;
*.peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation;
*.an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle.
The penitent: one confessing his/her sins and seeking forgiveness.
There are three things that the penitent must do for reconciliation with the Lord. The penitent must make an act of contrition and that means to be fully sorry for the sin(s) committed and to firmly resolve that he/she will not sin again.
The penitent must make satisfaction for the sins.
Also, the penitent must confess his/her sins to a priest.
The reason for this is …….
Since the power to forgive sins was given to the apostles by the risen Christ (John 20:21-23) then the bishops of today’s Church also are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20) as successors to the apostles. The bishops and their collaborators, the priests, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT forgive sins in and of themselves, but
“in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,”
as it is written in 2 Cor. 5:20: “So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
Happy Easter dear Christians!
Are zebras black with white stripes or vice versa? 