Sacrament of Reconciliation (Season of Advent 2011)

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Again, we are back here for the celebration of Advent, a season full of hope for the coming of Christ.

Yet, while we're waiting, we have to prepare our body, mind and soul so that when we received Him, we will received Him in a state of grace, fully blessed.

Hence, we have to make sure that we are cleanse from our sins. How? We, Catholics, are so bless with abundant graces and one of that special graces given to us by Our Lord are - the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) (one of the seven sacraments recognize by the Catholic Chuch)

Why Confess?

The Sacrament of reconciliation is important because, like the word reconcile, it re-established the friendship between God and a human being. When we sin, we deprive ourselves of God’s grace. And by doing so, we make it even easier to sin some more. The only way out of this downward cycle is to acknowledge our sins, to repent of them, and to ask God’s forgiveness. Then, in the Sacrament of Confession, grace can be restored to our souls, and we can once again resist sin.

Believe it or not, but when one sins not only he/she destroying their relationship with God, but he/she also destroys their relationship with other Christians. Sin damages or even breaks fraternal communion.

This sacrament restores it. In list form the spiritual effects of this sacrament are:

• reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace;
• reconciliation with the Church;
• remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins;
• remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin;
• peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation;
• an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle.

(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1496)

Frequent confession is a great value; it makes us more deeply conformed to Christ and most submissive to the voice othe Spirit [Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2042]

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What are required of a penitent (those who confess their sins) in order to receive the sacrament worthily?

The following are the taken from St. Faustina, Diary [113]

+And again, I would like to say three words to the soul that is determined to strive for sanctity and to derive fruit; that is to say, benefit from confession.

First word-complete sincerity and openness. Even the holiest and wisest confessor cannot forcibly pour into the soul what he desires if it is not sincere and open. An insincere, secretive soul risks great dangers in the spiritual life, and even the Lord Jesus Himself does not give Himself to such a soul on a higher level, because He knows it would derive no benefit from these special graces. (He must confess those sins fully, in kind and in number.)

Second word-humility. A soul does not benefit as it should from the sacrament of confession if it is not humble. Pride keeps it in darkness. The soul neither knows how, nor is it willing, to probe with precision the depths of its own misery. It puts on a mask and avoids everything that might bring it recovery.  (He must be contrite—or, in other words, sorry for his sins. )

Third word-obedience. A disobedient soul will win no victory, even if the Lord Jesus himself, in person, were to hear its confession. The most experienced confessor will be of no help whatsoever to such a soul. The disobedient soul exposes itself to great misfortunes; it will make no progress toward perfection, nor will it succeed in the spiritual life. God lavishes His graces most generously upon the soul, but it must be an obedient soul. (He must be willing to do penance and make amends for his sins.)+

Jesus points out the importance of this Sacrament to Saint Faustina in Diary [1602]:

+ Daughter, when you go to Confession, to this Fountain of My mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flows down upon your soul and ennobles it. Every time you go to confession, immerse yourself entirely in My mercy, with great trust, so that I may pour the bounty of My grace upon your soul. When you approach the confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I Myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy. Tell souls that from this Fount of Mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity. The torrents of grace inundate humble souls. The proud remain always in poverty and misery, because My grace turns away from them to humble souls.+

Then, in Diary entry 1784, we read these words of Our Lord:

+"How very much I desire the salvation of souls! My dearest secretary, write that I want to pour out My divine life into human souls and sanctify them, if only they were willing to accept My grace. The greatest sinners would achieve great sanctity, if only they would trust in My mercy. The very depths of My being are filled to overflowing with mercy, and it is being poured out upon all I have created. My delight is to act in a human soul and fill it with My mercy and to justify it. My Kingdom on earth is My life in the human soul. Write, My secretary, that I Myself am the spiritual guide of souls – and I guide them indirectly through the priest, and lead each one to sanctity by a road known to Me alone."+

"Strive always to confess your sins with a deep knowledge of your own wretchedness and with clarity and purity."
--St. John of the Cross

My daughter, just as you prepare in My presence, so also you make your confession before Me. The person of the priest is, for Me, only a screen. Never analyse what sort of a priest it is that I am making use of; open your soul in confession as you would to Me, and I will fill it with My light. (1725)
--St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul

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I've always hoped people could understand the importance of Confession, and the best example to give is, by the story of the Saints, and one the best to choose for today's post is the testimonies of St.John Bosco.


Boy Raised fromthe Dead by St. John Bosco

† If only souls would become recollected, God would speak to them at once, for dissipation drowns out the word of the Lord.
On one occasion, the Lord said to me, Why are you fearful and why do you tremble when you are united to Me? I am displeased when a soul yields to vain terror. Who will dare to touch you when you are with Me? Most dear to Me is the soul that strongly believes in My goodness and has complete trust in Me. I heap My confidence upon it and give it all it asks. St. Faustina Diary [452-453]†

†Know that as often as you come to Me, humbling yourself and asking for My forgiveness, I pour out a superabundance of graces on your soul, and your imperfection vanishs before My eyes, and I see only your love and your humility. You lose nothing but gain much" ~St. Faustina Diary, [1293] †

Adapted from about.com – aboutcatholics.com – mydivinemercy.blogspot.com – saint-faustina.com – divinemercycentre.com