Confession is a statement that a person makes admitting that they are guilty of a crime. But in the Bible, confession can be seen in the sense of affirming truth, such as Rom. 10:9 – That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Most often people do ask, why do I need to go for confession? When one goes for confession, God is praised, sin is acknowledged and faith is declared. The truth is that Confession helps us realize the truth – it is an Admission of the truth which releases us of guilt – Ps. 32:1-5. We live in an age where few people confess – they just do not like to admit the truth. Even when they do wrong, they just say, “Let’s forget about it” and go on.
There is great power in confession. Let’s us bear it in mind that If we do not confess, we will carry an oppressive weight of guilt. When we confess, we admit that God’s way is the best. A good confession begins by calling sin a sin. In other words, it involves seeing and presenting ourselves as we really are and also seeing God as he really is. A good Confession restores and renews our relationship with God whereas Sin separates us from God. A Good confession also brings about change in our lives, in our bad attitudes towards our neighbors because without confession, we are never motivated to change.
As Catholics, we must adhere to the sacrament of confession at least 2 times a year. Below are the steps of going for a good confession.
How to Make a Good Confession
Before, you approach the confessional. Do a thorough examination of conscience and say the prayer before confession. kneel at the feet of the confessor and say: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. Make the sign of the Cross the sign of the Cross, say: “I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to all the Saints, and to you, my spiritual Father, that I have sinned. Then you must tell the priest the last time you went for confession.
After confessing your sins to the priest then say these- forgive me also the sins of my past life, especially of those against such a virtue” — for example, against purity or against the third commandment. Then continue with thus- Father Lord forgive me the sins I remember and those I do not remember. Having finished confessing your sins listen respectfully to what the priest says, accept the penance with a sincere intention of performing it; and, from your heart, renew the act of contrition while he gives you absolution.
Having received absolution leave the confessional, say the prayer after Confession. Perform your penance as soon as possible, and put in practice the advice of the priest.
In the confessional, God hears, forgives and heals. When we have confessed our sins, we have inner peace because the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. We need to confess our sins to God for the restoration of fellowship. Confession brings us blessings (2 CHR 7:17).
Brethren, are you willing to let confession bring cleansing and blessing to your life?.
