Confession

I went to confession today, not at St. Pius, but at our former church. I was surprised but happy to see a long line of people waiting outside the confessional.

Going to confession was one of the hardest things for me to do when I became Catholic. It isn't easy now, either. But oh what a blessing it has been. The knowledge that I have been absolved of my sins fills me with joy. It's impossible to describe the feeling to anyone who hasn't experienced the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (or the Sacrament of Penance, or the Sacrament of Forgiveness or Confession), is of course, the priest.

When the Apostles were all hiding out in the upper room after Jesus' resurrection, He appeared to them, breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Catholic Bishops are the Apostle's successors, and priests are the Bishop's collaborators. They continue to exercise the ministry of reconciliation by virtue of their Holy Orders. It is not the Bishop or priest who forgives us, but it is Jesus Himself who hears our confession and absolves us of our sins, through his servant, the priest.

In 2nd Corinthians 5:18-20, St. Paul says, "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

Pope John Paul II said, "The Lord Jesus instituted in his Church the sacrament of Penance, so that those who have committed sins after Baptism might be reconciled with God, whom they have offended, and with the Church itself whom they have injured." (John Paul II, Aperite portas, 5)

I went to confession today. My sins are forgiven; I am reconciled with God and my Church.