Is confession or the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation necessary?

Proverbs 12:15, "The way of the fool seems right in his own eyes, but he who listens to advice is wise."

Not only does our faith require us to partake in the sacrament of confession in order to be absolved of serious sins but it is a wise thing to do. An honest confession made to a caring priest who offers us some advice on how to avoid this sin in the future opens our mind to much needed advice. Even better, when a priest conveys God's absolution for our sins, the burden of shame is lifted.

Is Confession necessary? If we have a mortal sin on our souls then it is absolutely necessary in order to cleanse ourselves before receiving the Lord in Holy Communion but it is also a wise step to seek out the counsel a good priest will offer us. The Sacrament of Confession - what a wonderful gift made available to all Catholics in preparation for an even greater gift, The Holy Eucharist.

Protestants may mock this sacrament but we should pray for them. They are missing out on such wonderful gifts of grace and healing.

 

Before I was Catholic, I didn't understand it. I had issues with it, but I wasn't familiar with John 20:21-23 that Mara referenced above. I've been to therapists, psychiatrists, and life coaches and confessed to accountability partners. It just doesn't compare. If I've given a good confession, I experience the embrace of the Holy Spirit every time the priest begins the words of absolution. That grace miraculously makes me free and able to pray again.

 

I pray for the right words.

Above everything else God loves you very much. You have the Holy Spirit and that is why you are so conflicted - fighting yourself. Where there is disturbance, confusion, agitation, and anger, there is the devil's temptation and evil. You understand more than you think you do. You understand that this is spiritual warfare. We cannot do battle on our own. We need Jesus. We need to totally surrender.

After confession when you are in God's grace you feel at peace. Others reading this can confirm that when we pick up our rosary and pray it every day, we have a spiritual weapon. When we remain in God's grace and go to mass and communion we are strengthened. We cannot fight alone. Have a plan. Write it out. Read it. Pray the rosary every day. You may fail again. Never quit quitting.

 

Beautiful! Well said!

A word of caution, the words written in Matt 12:43-45 are practical advice. On several occasions, after an uplifting and wonderful Confession, I have left the church building and been immediately tempted to sin by some sight or some event. Cling to the peace brought by Confession. Savor it and don't let it be taken from you because the devil will certainly attempt it, however prayers for help and strength will overcome him.

 

I wouldn't risk even watching it. What a frightening thought.

 

I attended Confession yesterday, not because I felt a big weight of sin on my soul but because it has been a few months. However, when I spent 20 min or so preparing by examining my conscience (led by reading a Catholic Examination of Conscience), I realized I have been long guilty of the sin of a vulgar mouth. I confessed this to my priest and he revealed to me that this thing is in my heart and to remedy it, I need to call on Christ to come into my heart, frequently and without a mind cluttered with other thoughts. Prayer with an uncluttered mind, not easy but not impossible. Dear Lord create a clean heart in me.

 

You are in good company. Your post reminded me of these verses from Matt: ch 6

7 “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread;
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors;
13 And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil." RSV-CE

 

Thanks for your testimony. I stand in what you say. They are the doubts that I too feel, they are the temptations that I too feel after PM.

What to do? The sacrament of Confession is essential if you want to start again. Let's keep faith in this. We chase away vain thoughts that make us waste time and peace.

 

I am sorry to read about your fall but I fell so many times before my rehabilitation, I can only say, fall forward. Consider what you did and probably more importantly what you did not do leading up to this fall. Examine your conscience, recognize the triggers you welcomed into your eyes and your mind but even more importantly consider how you pray and what more you could learn about prayer. God wants us to know Him better so that we can once again feel His love for us, just as we did when He created us. Also, do not let shame mislead you. God loves you to such an incredible extent that your recent fall, and all of your sins, do not tarnish the vision of the glorious life He holds for you. Christ came to call sinners and that means we are all in good company.