Monday, May 19, 2014

Why I Love Confession

I love Confession.  Let me say that again, I LOVE CONFESSION!!!!

It isn't the act of telling all my faults to someone, like there is some intangible 'thing' in just talking about how sinful I am.  It is the knowledge that my sins are truly and completely forgiven, by Christ through His minister in apostolic succession.  And, most of all - It is the GRACE!  The beautiful, wonderful, immeasurable GRACE that God gives us through the Sacrament of Penance.  I am addicted to it.  When I get it, I feel amazing and I know it and I want to keep it and always feel like that.  When I lose it, (because hey, I am a sinful human with a willing spirit and a (very) weak flesh and mind)  I feel down and angry and prone to self-pity and irrationally negative emotions.  YUCK!

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1496 The spiritual effects of the sacrament of Penance 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.
THIS is why I LOVE the Sacrament.  I went to Confession this past weekend.  Got the ick out, and feel SO MUCH BETTER.  Since then, I have been to Mass and received Christ - body, blood, soul and divinity - in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.  
Now I am ready for whatever lies ahead.  Here go I by the Grace of God.