When I received the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a preparation for my Confirmation in 2004, the priest told me that sins are like thorns in the flesh. I told him that my last Confession was during retreat in 2002 (Yes, I only made confession again just because I was going to receive Sacrament of Confirmation).
Even after that experience, I've never really heard about frequent confession till I joined the Charismatic Prayer group in high school. At that moment, I know that members were encouraged to go confession regularly, but I don't have any idea how often is 'good enough'. None of the more senior members also seem going to confession regularly and they do not tell us how to do it. (The priests in my parish do not stand by 15 minutes before Mass like what the priests do in Singapore). From my understanding, we need to make appointment to go for Confession.
Interestingly, in my parish in Indonesia, during Lent and Advent, the priests will stand by almost every day in the Church. You'll see long queue outside every confessional. (5 pews filled with people on Tuesdays and Fridays because it's when we have evening weekday Masses). What does it mean? It means people are longing to come back to the Church. It means many people are longing to start a new life again, again, and again.
FAQ: Why do we bother to receive Sacrament of Reconciliation frequently? We'll make the same sins anyway.
Well, every time we receive the sacrament, we receive special graces to start again. Imagine you scan the viruses on your computer. If you do it frequently, you'll realize that your computer works faster because you remove the virus soon before it affects many areas of your computer. Imagine you record your own expenses frequently. You can choose to do it daily, weekly, monthly, or even bi-monthly. The longer you delay, the more likely you miss the small unnecessary expenses. (It may be small, but if you spend on this thing quite frequently, it IS a large sum of wasted money). That's why the Church recommends us to do daily examination of conscience. That's why the Church encourages us to go for frequent Confession.
Yes, it may be the same sins again and again. Nevertheless, the circumstances are different, and we want to be more sensitive with the disorder of our love as soon as we can. Perhaps last week we immediately scold a friend. Perhaps this week we still scold that friend, but our failing came up after holding it for a few days. Perhaps the problem yesterday purely because of my lack of temperance, perhaps today it is because of my impatience.
FAQ: Can't I just say sorry to God directly? Why do we bother to talk to the priest? He's also human.
Ehm ehm *cough*
I thought Jesus 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’" (John 20:21–23) Through Sacrament of Reconciliation, by confessing our sins and with an act of contrition and the priest's absolution, we're truly sure that we are forgiven.Of course we must still constantly say sorry to God every time we make mistakes :)
Secondly, we have pride in ourselves. Confessing to someone with an authority is obviously require humility. It's such a shameful thing!!! >.< So through Confession, God truly helps us to purify ourselves. We're truly humbled through this Sacrament.
Thirdly, we need another article on the special role of priest. Yes, he's a human. Just like Peter and the other apostles. Yet, don't you see that God told these men, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained". Who are we not to trust the authority that is appointed by Jesus himself?
When was the last time we went to Confession?
To be honest, not all people have the privilege like the people in Singapore. It's so easy to go from one Church to another Church. It's quite convenient to find priests. However, I do believe that there's always a way and it's worthwhile to 'hunt' the priests to receive this Sacrament. Even in Indonesia, the priests go to the neighborhood during Lent and Advent to hear Confession too. So...there's always a way. :)
And even if it's been a looooooooooooooooonggggg time since we went for Confession, just do it. We may not be as bad as the Prodigal Son, right? hehehehe. Yet the Father still embraced him. He does embrace us, anytime we want to come back. :)
For further reading, do give it a try to read Scott Hahn's "Frequent Confession" ^^
Even after that experience, I've never really heard about frequent confession till I joined the Charismatic Prayer group in high school. At that moment, I know that members were encouraged to go confession regularly, but I don't have any idea how often is 'good enough'. None of the more senior members also seem going to confession regularly and they do not tell us how to do it. (The priests in my parish do not stand by 15 minutes before Mass like what the priests do in Singapore). From my understanding, we need to make appointment to go for Confession.
Interestingly, in my parish in Indonesia, during Lent and Advent, the priests will stand by almost every day in the Church. You'll see long queue outside every confessional. (5 pews filled with people on Tuesdays and Fridays because it's when we have evening weekday Masses). What does it mean? It means people are longing to come back to the Church. It means many people are longing to start a new life again, again, and again.
FAQ: Why do we bother to receive Sacrament of Reconciliation frequently? We'll make the same sins anyway.
Well, every time we receive the sacrament, we receive special graces to start again. Imagine you scan the viruses on your computer. If you do it frequently, you'll realize that your computer works faster because you remove the virus soon before it affects many areas of your computer. Imagine you record your own expenses frequently. You can choose to do it daily, weekly, monthly, or even bi-monthly. The longer you delay, the more likely you miss the small unnecessary expenses. (It may be small, but if you spend on this thing quite frequently, it IS a large sum of wasted money). That's why the Church recommends us to do daily examination of conscience. That's why the Church encourages us to go for frequent Confession.
Yes, it may be the same sins again and again. Nevertheless, the circumstances are different, and we want to be more sensitive with the disorder of our love as soon as we can. Perhaps last week we immediately scold a friend. Perhaps this week we still scold that friend, but our failing came up after holding it for a few days. Perhaps the problem yesterday purely because of my lack of temperance, perhaps today it is because of my impatience.
FAQ: Can't I just say sorry to God directly? Why do we bother to talk to the priest? He's also human.
Ehm ehm *cough*
I thought Jesus 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’" (John 20:21–23) Through Sacrament of Reconciliation, by confessing our sins and with an act of contrition and the priest's absolution, we're truly sure that we are forgiven.Of course we must still constantly say sorry to God every time we make mistakes :)
Secondly, we have pride in ourselves. Confessing to someone with an authority is obviously require humility. It's such a shameful thing!!! >.< So through Confession, God truly helps us to purify ourselves. We're truly humbled through this Sacrament.
Thirdly, we need another article on the special role of priest. Yes, he's a human. Just like Peter and the other apostles. Yet, don't you see that God told these men, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained". Who are we not to trust the authority that is appointed by Jesus himself?
When was the last time we went to Confession?
To be honest, not all people have the privilege like the people in Singapore. It's so easy to go from one Church to another Church. It's quite convenient to find priests. However, I do believe that there's always a way and it's worthwhile to 'hunt' the priests to receive this Sacrament. Even in Indonesia, the priests go to the neighborhood during Lent and Advent to hear Confession too. So...there's always a way. :)
And even if it's been a looooooooooooooooonggggg time since we went for Confession, just do it. We may not be as bad as the Prodigal Son, right? hehehehe. Yet the Father still embraced him. He does embrace us, anytime we want to come back. :)
For further reading, do give it a try to read Scott Hahn's "Frequent Confession" ^^
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