CONFESSION: THE WORDS TO USE

IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN TO CONFESSION FOR A WHILE, OR ENGLISH IS NOT YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE – HERE ARE THE WORDS TO USE:

To help those of you who have not been to confession for a long time, or those of you who do not have English as your first language, here is a form of words to use when going to confession.

PRIEST AND PARISHIONER: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

PARISHIONER: Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was (?time) ago and these are my sins…. For these and all the sins I cannot now remember I am truly sorry.

The PRIEST will now say a few words of encouragement to help you in the Christian life. The PRIEST will also give you a simple PENANCE for you to do afterwards, which may be one of our well known prayers.

The PRIEST will say the words of ABSOLUTION and you will be invited to say your Act of Contrition (prayer of sorrow) as follows:

PARISHIONER: O my God, because You are so good, I am very sorry that I have sinned against You, and by the help of Your grace I will not sin again.

The PRIEST will say a few words to end the ceremony and then you respond:

PARISHIONER: Thank you, Father.

The PARISHIONER leaves and does the PENANCE.

(From a St Saviour’s newsletter)

 

FORGIVENESS IS POSSIBLE!

WE MUST DECIDE WHERE WE STAND…

Every now and then we come across a miracle of forgiveness. We hear of someone whose life has been profoundly changed by the deliberate act of another offering to forgive the offender. More often we hear about how difficult it is to genuinely forgive. Some even argue that forgiveness is actually impossible. Just a few say it is undesirable because we live fully by anger and outrage.

SOME SAY: GENUINE FORGIVENESS IS IMPOSSIBLE

We must decide where we stand. If we know our need to be forgiven then we have to ask how it is possible to forgive. Otherwise human life is ultimately frustrating and without healing or wholeness.

In faith we look to Christ. With the eyes of faith we see in him the realisation of our deepest hopes: forgiveness is possible; it is given! And it comes to me through the Church in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

This short meditation was published in “A Lenten Journey of Prayer for 2009” by AlivePublishing. For information about their booklets please visit http://www.alivepublishing.co.uk (external link).

 

THE WORDS FOR CONFESSION

IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN TO CONFESSION FOR A WHILE, OR ENGLISH IS NOT YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE – HERE ARE THE WORDS TO USE:

To help those of you who have not been to confession for a long time, or those of you who do not have English as your first language, here is a form of words to use when going to confession.

PRIEST AND PARISHIONER: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

PARISHIONER: Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was (?time) ago and these are my sins…. For these and all the sins I cannot now remember I am truly sorry.

The PRIEST will now say a few words of encouragement to help you in the Christian life. The PRIEST will also give you a simple PENANCE for you to do afterwards, which may be one of our well known prayers.

The PRIEST will say the words of ABSOLUTION and you will be invited to say your Act of Contrition (prayer of sorrow) as follows:

PARISHIONER: O my God, because You are so good, I am very sorry that I have sinned against You, and by the help of Your grace I will not sin again.

The PRIEST will say a few words to end the ceremony and then you respond:

PARISHIONER: Thank you, Father.

The PARISHIONER leaves and does the PENANCE.

(From a St Saviour’s newsletter)

 

ACT OF CONTRITION

O my God, I love thee above all things.

I hope, by the merits and Passion of Jesus Christ, to obtain pardon of my sins.

I grieve from the bottom of my heart for having by them offended thy infinite goodness. I detest them more than all imaginable evils.

I unite my grief for them to that by which Jesus Christ was oppressed in the Garden of Olives. I firmly resolve, by the assistance of thy grace, never more to offend thee.

(Whenever you will have said this prayer, with the requisite determination of avoiding all sin, go in peace to Confession, without scruple and without fear. St Liguori)

– St Anthony’s Treasury, 1916

 

DO NOT FORGET THAT LOST TIME NEVER RETURNS

ALL IN ALL

When a man reaches a point where he seeks no solace from any creature, then he begins to relish God perfectly. Then also he will be content no matter what may happen to him. He will neither rejoice over great things nor grieve over small ones, but will place himself entirely and confidently in the hands of God, Who for him is all in all, to Whom nothing ever perishes or dies, for Whom all things live, and Whom they serve as He desires.

ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR END

Always remember your end and do not forget that lost time never returns. Without care and diligence you will never acquire virtue. When you begin to grow lukewarm, you are falling into the beginning of evil; but if you give yourself to fervour, you will find peace and will experience less hardship because of God’s grace and the love of virtue.

IT IS GREATER WORK TO RESIST VICES AND PASSIONS THAN TO SWEAT IN PHYSICAL TOIL

A fervent and diligent man is ready for all things. It is greater work to resist vices and passions than to sweat in physical toil. He who does not overcome small faults, shall fall little by little into greater ones.

WATCH OVER YOURSELF

If you have spent the day profitably, you will always be happy at eventide. Watch over yourself, arouse yourself, warn yourself, and regardless of what becomes of others, do not neglect yourself. The more violence you do to yourself [the more you work on yourself], the more progress you will make.

– From: Thomas a Kempis; The Imitation of Christ

 

IT IS NOT THE VIRTUE, BUT THE MOTIVE FOR VIRTUE, WHICH GOD REWARDS

Commentary on Matthew 5:43-48

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour, and shall hate your enemy.'” And so forth.

But I say to you: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” Many people, measuring the precepts of God by their own weakness rather than by the strength of his Saints, think it is impossible to perform what they command. They say it is enough if the virtuous do not hate their enemies. To love them is to command more than human nature can bear. We ought to realise that Christ did not command impossible things, although he did command perfect things: David did it to Saul and Absalom; Stephen the Martyr prayed for his enemies who stoned him; Paul wished to be anathema for the sake of his persecutors. This, too, Jesus taught and did when he said: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven. If observing the commandments of God makes man a son of God, then is man a son of God not from his nature but from his will. “Therefore when you do an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets that they may be honoured by men.” The man giving an alms and sounding a trumpet is a hypocrite. He who fasts that he may disfigure his face, and that its emaciation may show the emptiness of his stomach – he, too, is a hypocrite. So, too, is he a hypocrite who prays in the synagogues and on the corners of streets, for the sole purpose of being seen by men.

The danger of vain-glory

From all this we may conclude that hypocrites do what they do that they may be glorified by men. It seems to me that, he, too, is a hypocrite who says to his brother, “Let me cast the speck out of your eye,” for he does this through vain-glory, that he may seem just. Wherefore, the Lord says to him: “Hypocrite, first cast out the beam from your own eye.” It is not the act of virtue, but the motive for virtue, which has the reward from God. And if you swerve even but a little from the straight way, it matters not whether you stray to the right or to the left, since you have lost the true way.

– From: St Jerome, Book 1, Commentary on Matthew, Ch. 5-6

(see also: Examination of Conscience, Spiritual Direction, Confession)

 

PSALM 50 – MISERERE

The repentance and confession of David after his sin. The fourth penitential psalm.

Unto the end, a psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had sinned with Bethsabee [2 Kings ( = 2 Samuel) 12]

Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.

And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words, and mayst overcome when thou art judged.

For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.

For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast manifested to me.

Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.

Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

 

COME, O HOLY GHOST, THOU SPIRIT OF TRUTH AND LOVE

PREPARATION FOR CONFESSION

Prayer to the Holy Ghost

Come, O Holy Ghost, thou Spirit of truth and love, enlighten my understanding that I may truly know my sins. Let me see all my offences as clearly as they will appear before me one day when I go before my Divine Judge.

Place before me the greatness of my disloyalty and unfaithfulness. Let me clearly behold how often and to what extent I have sinned against God, against my neighbour, and against myself, the good which I have omitted, and the duties of my state which I have neglected; help me that I may clearly recognise my predominant passion, and the sins which, alas, have become habitual.

Move my heart that I may sincerely repent of my sins and truly and unreservedly confess them, and that with an efficacious purpose of amendment I may be found worthy of forgiveness, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Holy Mary, Mother of grace and refuge of sinners, pray for me now that I may make a good confession.

– St Anthony’s Treasury, Laverty & Sons, Leeds, 1916

 

WHY CONFESSION? – SIN IS AN OFFENCE AGAINST GOD, AND ALSO DAMAGES ONE’S COMMUNION WITH CHRIST’S BODY, THE CHURCH, OF WHICH CHRIST IS THE HEAD

VI. 1440. Sin is before all else an offence against God, a rupture of communion with him. At the same time it damages communion with the Church. For this reason conversion entails both God’s forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church , which are expressed and accomplished liturgically by the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.

Only God forgives sin

1441. Only God forgives sins. (Mk 2:7) Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself, “The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” and exercises this divine power: “Your sins are forgiven.” (Mk 2:5, 10; Lk 7:48) Further, by virtue of his divine authority he gives this power to men to exercise in his name. (cf. Jn 20:21-23)

1442. Christ has willed that in her prayer and life and action his whole Church should be a sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation that he acquired for us at the price of his blood. But he entrusted the exercise of the power of absolution to the apostolic ministry which he charged with the “ministry of reconciliation.” (2Cor 5:18) The apostle is sent out “on behalf of Christ” with “God making his appeal” through him and pleading: “Be reconciled to God.” (2Cor 5:20)

Reconciliation with the Church

1443. During his public life Jesus not only forgave sins, but also made plain the effect of this forgiveness: he reintegrated forgiven sinners into the community of the People of God from which sin had alienated or even excluded them. A remarkable sign of this is the fact that Jesus receives sinners at his table, a gesture that expresses in an astonishing way both God’s forgiveness and the return to the bosom of the People of God. (cf. Lk15; 19:9)

1444. In imparting to his apostles his own power to forgive sins the Lord also gives them the authority to reconcile sinners with the Church. The ecclesial dimension of their task is expressed most notably in Christ’s solemn words to Simon Peter: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mt16:19; cf. Mt 18:18; 28:16-20) The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of the apostles united to its head. (LG 22 para 2)

1445. The words bind and loose mean: whomever you exclude from your communion, will be excluded from communion with God; whomever you receive anew into your communion, God will welcome back into his. Reconciliation with the Church is inseparable from reconciliation with God.

The sacrament of forgiveness

1446. Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his Church: above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. It is to them that the sacrament of Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification. The Fathers of the Church present this sacrament as “the second plank [of salvation] after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace.” (Tertullian, De Pænit. 4, 2: PL 1, 1343; cf. Council of Trent (1547): DS 1542.

– From: The Catechism of the Catholic Church

 

IT IS GOOD FOR US TO HAVE OTHERS KNOW OUR FAULTS AND REBUKE THEM, FOR IT GIVES US GREATER HUMILITY

Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. (Mt11:29)

HUMILITY

Be not troubled about those who are with you or against you, but take care that God be with you in everything you do.

Keep your conscience clear and God will protect you, for the malice of man cannot harm one whom God wishes to help. If you know how to suffer in silence, you will undoubtedly experience God’s help. He knows when and how to deliver you; therefore place yourself in His hands, for it is a divine prerogative to help men and free them from all distress.

It is often good for us to have others know our faults and rebuke them, for it gives us greater humility. When a man humbles himself because of his faults, he easily placates those about him and readily appeases those who are angry with him.

It is the humble man whom God protects and liberates; it is the humble whom He loves and consoles. To the humble He turns and upon them bestows great grace, that after their humiliation He may raise them up to glory. He reveals His secrets to the humble, and with kind invitation bids them to come to Him. Thus, the humble man enjoys peace in the midst of many vexations, because his trust is in God, not in the world. Hence, you must not think that you have made any progress until you look upon yourself as inferior to others.

– From: The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis