Blogposts

Benefits of Frequent Confession

07-19-2020Weekly Reflection

There are those who say that little importance should be given to the frequent confession of venial sins. Far more important, they say, is that general confession which the Church, surrounded by her children in the Lord at Mass makes during the penitential rite of the Mass the “I confess” is offered and the “Lord have mercy.” This of course does NOT take away mortal sins nor does the prayer at Communion “say but the word and my soul shall be healed take away mortal sins.

It is true that venial sins may be forgiven in many ways which are to be highly commended. But to ensure more rapid progress day by day in the path of virtue, the best way is the pious practice of frequent confession, (confessions of devotion) which was introduced into the Church by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and should be earnestly advocated.

Why? Because through frequent confession genuine there is an increase of sanctifying grace, which is a sharing in God’s very life; self-knowledge is increased; Christian humility grows; bad habits are corrected; spiritual neglect and luke-warmness is resisted; the conscience is purified, the will strengthened; and a salutary self-control is attained. (Note: One of the results of original sin is a weakness of will: doing what you don’t want to do. Lukewarmness the Scriptures tell us is a person who is neither hot nor cold in other words a “floater.” rather than a swimmer. No effort is being made to become holy to become a saint.)

The humility is expressed this way: When a person goes to Confession he/she says: “Lord these are the sins that I see but you see everything. If there is anything you see and I don’t, I am sorry for those sins too and help me to see them. The Scriptures remind us we all have hidden faults which are conscience is not yet dealing with. Confession helps to uncover these by our humble submission to God.

How frequent should Confession be? Obviously if you have committed a mortal sin, you should make a Perfect Act of Contrition, which expresses sorrow to God for offending against His infinite love and goodness and not simply out of fear of punishment and you should get to confession as soon as possible. Recall a mortal sin is committed when there is serious matter AND deliberation AND full consent of the will.

Priests and religious have been counseled to confess weekly, which is an excellent practice or at least twice a month to get the benefits of the sacrament. Recall that the Lord instituted the sacrament of confession as described in St. John’s Gospel chapter 20:19-21 where Jesus says to the Apostles His first priests: Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them and whose sins you shall retain they are retained.

Give me, O Lord my God, that life without death and that joy without sorrow where there is the greatest freedom, unconfined security, secure tranquility, delightful happiness, happy eternity, eternal blessedness, the vision of truth, and praise, O God. Amen St. Thomas Aquinas

BACK TO LIST