A Guide to Confession
This article is simply to serve as a brief reminder for a better
preperation for Holy Confession. It is not meant to be an
exhaustive study of this God-given Mystery. Contact Fr. Bill for
titles if more information is required.
The hardest skill is to try and come to true knowledge of yourself.
When we seek to know ourselves, there is only one person to whom to turn -
Jesus Christ - Who created us and knows us better than anyone. This
blessing is given exclusively by Christ, who Himself founded and instituted
the Sacrament of Holy Confession (Penance) in the Church. This is why
we must allow no obstacle to hinder our coming to Confession. There
awaits you the representative of Christ, your Spiritual Father, who being
human and sinful like you is capable of understanding and sympathizing with
his flock who are fellow sinners. So do away with embarrassment or fear.
What is there to be afraid of or embarrassed by when your soul is suffering
and being torn by terrible consequences of many kinds of sin? When you
were physically ill and you were suffering not from one but many illnesses
did you ever avoid the doctor or hospital due to embarrassment?
And again, do not be misled by some people who simply ask to have the
"Absolution Prayer" read to them without going through the actual
confession. Whenever this takes place, whether from ignorance or
negligence, this is a terrible sin and mockery of God's forgiveness.
Therefore, with faith and sincerity walk towards the Holy Confessional.
And you must be absolutely certain that the infinite love of the Savior will
receive you and deliver you and take the weight of sin off you shoulder.
He says, "...come to Me all you who are weary and burdened and I will
give you rest." Matthew 11:27.
You and God
- Do you believe in God, One God in Three Persons in the Trinity?
- Do you believe in the healing power of the Orthodox Church,
especially given through the Holy Sacraments?
- Do you entrust yourself always, but especially in times of great
adversity, to God's Providence through prayer and the reading of the
Holy Scripture?
- In times of illness, have you murmured against God or doubted His
unwavering love for you?
- Have you faithfully attended the Sunday Liturgy and received the
Holy Eucharist as often as possible?
- Do you pray each morning and evening?
- Have you hindered your family from attending church by your
attitude?
- Do you use abusive or foul language in your everyday speech?
- Do you fast as stringently as you can, or do you find excuses to be
lazy?
You Relations With Others
- Do you have strong hatred or dislike towards someone who treated you
badly or insulted you?
- Are you overly suspicious of others, perhaps for no good reason?
- Are you jealous about the progress, happiness, or material goods
others have?
- Have you slandered others in your conversations or failed to defend
someone when another slandered them?
- Have you ridiculed others who are trying to live a wholesome,
spiritual Orthodox life?
- Did you strike anyone in anger or hurt them verbally?
- Do you pass judgment on others too quickly for the same behavior you
justify in yourself?
- Have you been thankless to God?
- Do you "hang around" the wrong crowd leading you into temptations
unnecessarily?
- Do you get mixed up in the lives of other people causing arguments
and fights?
- If a parent, do you make the Christian education of your child
"priority one" by coming to church to worship and attend the Christian
education classes?
Yourself
- Have you been overly attached to material things and worldly good?
- Have you been stingy or greedy?
- Have you failed to give to your Church generously and joyfully?
- Do you take great pleasure in the praise of others instead of humbly
living your life?
- Do you get upset when someone points out your mistakes and errors?
- Have you been stubborn, obstinate, egotistical, self-proud and
self-centered?
- Have you polluted your body and soul with sins of the flesh?
- Do you watch programs on on TV, cable, VCR tape, DVD or at the
movies which are objectionable to our Christian values?
- Do you read materials which are pornographic?
- Do you remember to call upon God in prayer when bad thoughts enter
your mind?
- Do you control what you listen to from others speaking?
- Do you generously give alms to those less fortunate?
- Do you take the time to read Orthodox Christian books, magazines,
pamphlets and other publications?
- Do you take time to come to the parish for educational opportunities
offered?
- Do you defend your Orthodox Faith when others belittle Her or
attempt to reduce Her to merely "one religion among many" instead of the
One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Faith founded by Jesus Christ for
salvation?
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