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Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ 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; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’
John 20:21-23
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The Sacrament of Reconiliation, sometimes known as Confession, is one of Catholicism's most beautiful aspects and certainly one of its most unique. Jesus Christ, because he loves us so much, gave the gift of the Sacrament of Reconcilination to his Church so that we, as sinners, can obtain forgiveness for our sins and be reconciled once again with God, with our community and with ourselves. The sacrament washes us clean and restores us to the way we were at the time of our baptism: sinless and in perfect communion with God.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is like pressing the 'reset' button on our lives and our relationship with God.
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Experience the Peace and Love of Jesus
'Bless me, Father, for I have sinned; it has been... a long time.' If it's been a while time since you last went to confession then know that Jesus wants to welcome you back, and invites you to experience his love and healing in this sacrament.
We underatand how daunting it can be, and the longer it has been the more difficult to feel. Take a step in faith. The feeling of freedom you experience when you unburden yourself of everything that has been weighing you down is incredible! Many Catholics experience deep feelings of peace, joy, relief and love, oftentimes in ways they never expected. Jesus is calling you to feel this for yourself.
Not sure? Still got questions? Have a look at the video and the questions and answers below.
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Questions about going to Confession.
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There are lots of reasons to go to Confession; however, they are all variations on the same thing: Jesus passionately loves you and want's to free you from the burden that sin places on you. He wants to remove all the obstacles that prevent you from feeling the fulness of his love and living the fulness of the life he won for us by his passion, death and resurrection.
Sin puts roadblocks in our life, in particular in our relationships: with God, with others and with ourselves. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation Jesus comes to us and removes those blockages to life and love.
Jesus says that he came that we might have the fulness of life (John 10.10). That fulness of life is given to us in baptsim, but it gets damaged by sin; in the Sacrament of Reconciliation Jesus restores us to that fulness of life.
When you think about what Jesus offers to us in this sacrament it is impossible to think of a good reason not to go to Confession.
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That's ok! The priest will be more than happy to help you. Just tell him you're unsure of what to say and he will guide you through it. Many people haven't been to confession since their childhood and can't remember the prayers any more, or they are fightened that they might get them wrong. Don't let worries like that keep you from experienceing for yourself Jesus' love.
Sometimes it happens during Confession that our minds go completly blank. We forget what it was we came to confess! Don't forget the preist is human too - it sometimes happens to him! Just tell him your mind's gone blank and he can help you try and remember.
If after you have been to confession you remember something you wanted to confess just make a note of it and mention it next time.
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First, it is pretty unlikely you'll say anything the priest hasn't heard before and it is next-to-impossible to shock him (honestly!).
Second, and most importantly, the preist will be happy that you have come home to Jesus and his Church, especially if you've been a long time from the sacrament. Jesus says there is more joy among the angels over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine rightoues people who enter heaven (Luke 15:7). Its pretty much the same with priests. It is our privilege to help a Catholic encounter the healing presence of Christ and be freed from the suffocating burden of sin.
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We're creatures of habit: both good and bad. Sometimes we can find ourselves caught in a particular sin, it might feel that we can't help ourselves, no matter how hard we try. Confessing the same sin over and over can feel futile; or you might feel like you're a hypocrite if you confess something and then fall into the same sin again and again.
As frustrating as this can be, remember: Jesus never tires of forgiving us. We can never exhaust his patience or his desire to forgive us.
Some sins are stubborn or really hard to let go of. If that's the case speak to the priest in confession. Tell him about your struggles and listen to his advice. Above all, remember Jesus never grows tired or impatient. Sometimes conversion from sin is a long process taken in many, small steps, no one giant leap. Fortunately, Jesus is with us for the long-haul.
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You've decided to go to Confession! Jesus delights to see us coming back and receiving his love and forgiveness: that's the very reason why he came as a man, was born, lived and taught among us, was crucified, died and rose again from the dead.
The first and most important step in making a good confession is a realisation that our sins have separated us from God's love; they have damaged our relationship with God, with others and with ourselves. That realisation along with a desire to return to God with all your heart are essential in making a good confession.
You might find it useful to spend some time reflecting on your your sins before you go to confession. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where in your life you have gone astray and where you need healing and reconciliation. Some people find it helpful to write their sins on a piece of paper so they don't forget.
A really good guide on how to prepare for, make and what to do after Confession is here.
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Sin damages relationships: our relationship with God, with others and with ourselves.
The sinner wounds God’s honour and love, his own human dignity… and the spiritual well-being of the Church, of which each Christian ought to be a living stone. To the eyes of faith no evil is graver than sin and nothing has worse consequences for the sinners themselves, for the Church, and for the whole world.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1487, 1488
Sin can manifest itself in our thoughts, our actions and our ommissions. Christian maturity is the ability to reflect on our sin and the patters of sin in our lives. Christian maturity also leads us to honestly turn to God with contrite hearts, conscious of the effects sin has in our lives and relationships and in the wider community. Maturity also means identifying the sinful structures and systems in which we willingly particiapte.
When we turn to God with contrite hearts we feel a deep desire for that peace and forgiveness that only God can give. We are also lead to a desire to repair the damage our sins have caused our relationships with God, with others and with ourselves.
Catholics believe that only ordained priests have the faculty of absolving sins from the authority of the Church in the name of Jesus Christ (CCC 1495). Our sins are forgiven by God, through the priest.
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God, the Father of mercies, through the death and 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, Amen.
Formula of Absolution
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If you'd like to learn some more about the Sacrament of Reconciliation have a look at the video below.
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