"At a certain point in one's growth, there is no progress without it. The critics...are right in saying that God is not tied to one vehicle as an avenue for the forgiveness of sins. They are wrong, however, when they denigrate the importance of a good private confession.
Simply put, confession is the sacrament of the mature and one grows mature by confessing one's sins."
- from Daybreaks, by Fr. Ron Rolheiser
I was confirmed into the Church of England (like First Communion) when I was eleven and my father recommended I go to confession the day before. I can't remember all I had to confess (though I know it included thinking angry thoughts about my parents!) but I remember feeling mortified and so embarrassed. Our priest was very sweet and I remember having to read the 23rd Psalm as a penance. I was the only person of all those getting confirmed the next day who turned up for confession. It is very true that it is a sacrament of the mature - I was much too young at the time to appreciate the point of it. I felt humiliated and shameful afterwards and it took me a long time before I was able to look the priest in the eye! A sad story :D
ReplyDeleteThat's too bad, Clare! I bet it would have been far easier for you if you'd not been the only one. I was probably younger than that the first time, but since we all go, it wasn't hard to get used to. I didn't realize C of E had confessions!
DeleteYes we do but not many people realise it and most don't go!
ReplyDelete