Humble pie

Of all the items on the comeback list, going to Confession is probably the hardest. I have it mid-list but for those who have been away from the Church, it might be the last thing they want to do. I get it, it’s a scary proposition to go before a priest and admit you’ve been away for a while. And then, you have to confess your sins. The icing on the humble (pie) cake is the Act of Contrition that has escaped your memory.

If you come to me for Confession and say it’s been more than a couple years, my first words will be, “welcome back”. I will be filled with happiness and joy that you have come back to the Lord and the Church. And, I will be impressed with your humility and courage. Also, we have a card with the Act of Contrition in the confessional. So, that’s hopefully two worries removed. Regarding confessing your sins, please know that I confess my sins to another priest every month. And if you have read my earliest posts on this site, you know that I had some major sins to confess in college. Been there, done that. I’m a sinner, too.

The biggest point to make, though, and the biggest reason to go to Confession is that you’d be going to Jesus. At the end of the Sacrament, you’ll hear, “I absolve you of your sins”. That’s Jesus saying those words through me (or any priest). If it was me, you’d hear, ‘He absolves you of your sins’. It’s like at Mass, we hear, “this is my body” and not ‘this is His body’. We believe that Jesus acts in the person of the priest in the sacraments especially Confession.

Please focus on the positive aspects of this humble pie experience which are getting rid of the serious burden of sin and guilt, hearing that you are forgiven, and walking out light as a feather knowing that you are sin-free and reconciled to God and the Church.