Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! There are twenty-three (23) passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and five (5) canons in the Code of Canon Law which can help us to appreciate the Sacrament of Penance. The following is a reflection on CCC 1455.
There are two aspects highlighting the human and psychological value of confession, namely freedom and reconciliation. The Sacrament of Penance is not a counseling session. Spiritual Direction may have aspects of counseling, but is altogether different from both psychology (which examines perceptions, motivations, behaviors and the like) and psychiatry (which is a medical field which diagnoses, treats, and prevents mental disorders). The manifestation of conscience, freely made in the confessional or to a counselor, often has a freeing consequence. When guilt is acknowledged in confession to another the possibility of reconciliation is a reality. Doctors of Psychology or Psychiatry, unless they are priests with the faculty to absolve, are unable to grant the pardon which can only come from God who is offended by each of our sins and all of our sins. Care for the eternal disposition of the soul before God is specific to the Sacrament of Penance.
There are four aspects highlighting the dynamics of the Sacrament of Penance, namely looking squarely at the sins which we commit, assumption of our responsibility as doers of evil, openness to God and His mercy, and openness to the possibility of a new future.
The first dynamic of making a good Confession requires us to look squarely at the sins which we have committed. There is no sugar-coating here. We call a spade a spade and sin sin. God’s holy Law helps us to recognize sin for what it is (cf. Romans 7:7). This is difficult in a day and age when there seems to be the ‘loss of the sense of sin’ when people say ‘there is no such thing as sin’ which robs the Cross of it’s power to save (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:17–18; Galatians 5:11).
The second dynamic of making a good Confession is to assume responsibility for the evil we have done. We have done what we have done (or not done what we should have done…). Some people might call this ‘reality therapy.’ To acknowledge our sins is an essential part of the Sacrament of Penance (cf. Psalm 32:5; 51:3; Jeremiah 3:13; 14:20; Proverbs 14:9; 2 Samuel 19:20).
The third dynamic of making a good Confession is to be open to God and His mercy. We believe that God is both just and merciful, Who wants us to be saved, to call upon Him in trusting faith (cf. Acts 2:21; Romans 10:12–13). We do this in the Sacrament of Penance.
The final dynamic of making a good Confession regards the new future which is opened up by a good Confession. This includes not only peace of conscience in the here and now but also life on high with Christ Jesus and all His saints.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr