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Dec 29th, 2019
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 74
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 74 |
I have become completely convinced that the soul strongly desires confession and reconciliation with God. I know that this is a sacrament that many people today completely disregard, but I can show you proof from the secular world that completely convinces me that people really need confession.
A friend of mine sent me a link to a site that publishes anonymous postcards of people's secrets. The the is so popular that there is a travelling art exhibit and a newly published book about it. I know she sent me the link to shock me, but all I could think was: Wow. And how sad that they couldn't find their way to a priest and get the real benefit of a good confession.
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 5,264
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 5,264 |
I can say personally that there is tremendous benefot to frequent reception of this mystery. Is there no wonder that the Syrian stream of the church refers to this marvellous sacrament as "the baptism of tears"? The wondrous release and sense of cleansing that can come from this celebration of repentance is no doubt one of the strengths of our faith, if not largely neglected by the faithful.
When I was a religion teacher a number of years ago, I had a Buddhist student who used to go to confession to one of the priests who wold hear his confession and then say a prayer of blessing over him. The need for a therapeutic exomologesis is a universal need.
A wonderful resource on this mystery, is the book by Father John Chryssavgis, Repentance and Confession in the Orthodox Church. Both this book and the practice it advocates are well worth considering during this season of fast in anticipation of Christ's coming as Messiah, both in His Holy Nativity and in His Holy Baptism.
Blessing,
Gordo
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17 |
I think a lot of people pay psychiatrists loads of money just to be able to unburden their souls. Confession provides a cleansing and a healing of the soul that no psychiatrist's couch could ever provide.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,528
Grateful Member
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Grateful Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,528 |
Well, I will confess something here. Sometimes I am afraid or ashamed to go to Confession. A trap of the devil, I suppose. I get tempted to stay away from Confession. But, the grace of Jesus Christ helps me overcome this. And then, after Confession, there is such healing in my soul by Jesus Christ.
I think God forgives any sin that person truly repents of -- when someone prays, "Oh God, have mercy on me, for I have sinned." But Conmfession as a Mystery / Sacrament takes that to a whole new level and heals the soul and somehow restores it.
My 2 cents' worth.
-- John
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