Good morning beautiful people. The Lenten season is a time of observation. As Holy Week embarks on us, I was remembering the first time I went to confession. As luck would have it, Monsignor Halfmann was sitting in the confessional room. Not only was he a very close friend, he was like family - so I was reluctant and embarrassed to share with him. With trepidation, I expressed how afraid I was to share my sin, to let God down. He was comforting and never made me feel judged, but rather he talked about the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he told me how to pray for forgiveness, and how grace would be restored to my soul, and to resist sin. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.—James 5:16 To confess is to do two things with our sin: 1) to recognize sin for what it is in Gods eyes and 2) to get rid of our secrets and be honest with another Christian. James language is powerful. He mentions that this confession doesnt just bring forgiveness. It also brings healing. My hubby who was raised different did not understand confession, as did other friends. Some would tell me to confess to God directly. Id explain that confession is one of the seven sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church. We believe that all of the sacraments were instituted by Jesus Christ himself. In the case of Confession, that institution occurred on Easter Sunday, when Christ first appeared to the apostles after his Resurrection. Breathing on them, he said: “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained” (John 20:22-23). So whether you practice the same tradition or not, praying or going to confession allows us to acknowledge our sins, to repent of them, and to ask God’s forgiveness. And with that, I share a prayer that anyone can make their own... Holy Father, I have sinned. I now confess my own personal sin of ____________. I ask for your forgiveness and for your Spirit to strengthen me in overcoming temptation. I want to live for you and not let my sin, any sin, entangle me and draw me away from you. Through Jesus I pray. Amen. Today, remember Jesus who died for our sin.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Apr 2014 12:34:47 +0000
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