Confession (Credits to Aleteia)
It is quite common that throughout our lives we hear this word: confess. Whether your grandmother, your mother, a family member or a friend tell you. But what is confession and why is it important to do it?
First let's see what confession is in its ordinary definition: it is a declaration or recognition that a person makes of an error, a fault or a crime.
In the theological meaning this word comes from the Latin confessio abstract noun form of confessus which means confessed. In the biblical meaning to confess means to say or speak sins.
For the Catholic Church, confession has been practiced since the old testament, since they knew that if they had committed a fault they had to confess that fault to God through the priest and obtain expiation for sin, we can verify this in
Leviticus. 5.5-6. If he is answerable in any of those cases, he will have to confess the sin committed, and he must bring to Yahweh as a sacrifice of reparation for the sin committed a female of the flock (sheep or goat) as a sacrifice for sin ; and the priest shall perform the rite of atonement over him to free him from his sin.
Lev. 5.17-18. If anyone sins and without realizing it does one of the things forbidden by the commandments of Yahweh, he must answer for it and must bear the consequences of his fault. As a sacrifice of reparation he is to bring to the priest an unblemished ram of his flock, subject to valuation. The priest shall perform the rite of atonement over him for the oversight he has committed without realizing it and he will be forgiven.
In the time of Jesus, when He was on earth He showed us through the word that in baptism we obtained the forgiveness of sins. But then, if with baptism I receive forgiveness of sins, why go back to confessing? Let's see in the bible how in the time of John the Baptist, he baptized and people confessed their sins and with baptism they were forgiven
Matthew. 3,2 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.Matthew. 3,6 And as they were baptized by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins.
But we must remember that the people who came with John were adults who had not been baptized, which is why he told them to convert, confessing their sins in order to be forgiven. We must understand that, if we are baptized since we were babies or when we were children, as we grow up we already have an awareness of the good and the bad. Therefore, bad sins that we are committing, Jesus leaves us the sacrament of confession to obtain forgiveness, and to not commit more sins, but above all because through confession we remain in God's grace.
In the new testament, Jesus confirms that the sacrament of confession must continue to be done with those in charge that He left here on earth to enter into communion with Him and with our father, we can see that in
John. 20,21-23 The Lord he said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so am I sending you. After saying this he breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.
In this gospel we can see how Jesus leaves this sacrament instituted, and states how He was sent by the Father, but he left something very beautiful which is the Holy Spirit. In other words, that breath represents the Holy Spirit invisible power, but by faith we know that the instituted Priest has the power that Jesus gave him to be able to forgive sins through the Holy Spirit who is the one who works at the moment of confession .
In the old testament we can see that the confession of sins was made with the priest,
Leviticus. 16,32 The rite of atonement must be performed by the priest who has been anointed and installed to officiate in place of his father. He is to put on the linen, the sacred vestments
In the new testament, we are shown in
Hebrews. 5.1 Every high priest has been taken out of mankind and is appointed to act for men in their relations with God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins
Since Christ entrusted to his apostles the ministry of reconciliation, the bishops, their successors, and the priests, collaborators of the bishops, continue to exercise this ministry. Indeed, bishops and priests, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, have the power to forgive all sins "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, numeral 1461)
What is the purpose of confession?
Confession has 2 purposes, to release and to forgive. When we confess sins, it is as if we free ourselves of a burden, and we reconcile our friendship with God through forgiveness. You have peace and quiet of conscience.
Confession as an instrument of salvation.
Confession is a means of salvation. When we confess more and more we are in God's grace, all sin stains us and drives us away of the grace of God. We must not stop having that grace, try not to commit sin, but as the scripture says in
Romans. 3.23 Both Jew and pagan sinned and forfeited God's glory, and both are justified through the free gift of his grace by being redeemed in Christ Jesus
Serious sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the deprivation of which is called "eternal punishment" (catechism of the Catholic Church, numeral 1472).
What do I need to make a good confession?
First Be sorry and aware that you need God's forgiveness for the sins you have committed. If there is no repentance, confession is of no use to us. Do an examination of conscience. Go to confession or reconciliation.
Jesus already knows our sins, He is God, but He asks us to confess our sins and thus obtain His forgiveness, let's not forget that He is merciful and always expects us to go to meet Him every time we need His forgiveness, that is why we have the sacrament of confession or reconciliation to be in grace and in communion with Him.
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