Wednesday 2 December 2020

No Confessions Here


It was Saturday morning and Father Ignatius had just got out of the confessional when Benjamin hurried into the church and asked the priest “Father, would you hear my confession please?”

“Do I have to?” asked the priest.

“Hein?” muttered Benjamin, “I am sorry I am late Father …”

“It’s got nothing to do with your lateness,” answered the priest, then, looking around to see that the church was empty he sat down on one of the pews and invited Benjamin to do the same.

“The thing is,” continued Father Ignatius, “I know exactly what you are going to confess. Week in week out you come here and it is the same old sins.

“Let me guess. You’ve lost your temper with your wife … again. You’ve been impatient with your children and scolded them unnecessarily. And you gave the finger to drivers who cut you off on the road. Am I right?”

“Well …” Benjamin hesitated, “I gave the finger to only one driver. So it’s an improvement I think …”

“That is not the point,” continued the priest with a smile to show that he was not being over critical, “what I am trying to say Benjamin, is that when we come to confession we should be sorry for our sins and for hurting Our Lord, and we should resolve not to repeat our sins.

“If we come back every week with the same sins it means that we were not serious at the previous confession …”

“Or that we’re weak …” interrupted Benjamin.

“Yes …” agreed the priest, “and you’re not alone in this Benjamin. You’d be surprised how often people come confessing the same sins over and again … Sometimes I can guess the sins once I recognise the voice of the person kneeling at the confessional.

“Let me explain … do you remember when the people brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery and they wanted to stone her? When Jesus said let those with no sin throw the first stone, and when every one of them had left, He said to the woman ‘go and sin no more.’

“He did not mean do not sin any more sins ever throughout your entire life. Jesus knew that she, being human, being weak as you’ve just pointed out, will inevitably sin. We are all susceptible to sin.

“What Jesus meant is do not sin this particular sin any more because it will get you in deep trouble with the authorities and with God Himself.

“And that’s what I am saying to you. And to everyone who comes to the confessional for that matter. At the very least we should all make a serious effort not to repeat the sins we have just confessed and resolved not to sin again.”

“I understand …” mumbled Benjamin.

“And in saying so” smiled the priest, “I am not encouraging you to go out there and sin some novel new sins just to entertain me and to bring variety to the confessional!”

Benjamin laughed.

“Seriously though …” continued Father Ignatius, “we’re all sinners … even me as a priest would you believe. And in seeking God’s forgiveness we should at least try our hardest not to offend Him again.

“Now go in peace, you are absolved. That is unless you have some new serious sins which you want to confess!”

Benjamin went away feeling much lighter than when he came in and having learnt a real lesson at this most unusual confession.

27 comments:

  1. ...I have never been able to understand why confessions aren't a private matter between you and God.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is a very good question, Tom. I personally agree with you and I believe Confession should be between you and God ONLY.

      The Catholic Church does have Confessions with a priest. I believe they take their lead from what Jesus said to Peter:

      “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:13 onwards).

      Personally, I believe this was something said to Peter alone. It does not follow that every priest from that day onwards also has the right to loosen or bind peoples' sins. There have been many rogue priests over the years. Does this still mean they can forgive others' sins? Or indeed not forgive them (bind them). I don't think so. And what right has a priest not to forgive my sins when I have repented genuinely to God and know that God has forgiven me. Has a priest got more authority than God?

      But these are my personal views, Tom; not that of the Catholic Church. Please don't tell the Pope what I've said.

      God bless.







      Delete
    2. The sacrament of confession is different than going to God one on one for forgiveness. When I go to God one-on-one, it's just between me and him. However our sins always affect other people, and the ripple effect of our sins goes far beyond what we are aware. When we go to confession, the priest sits in not only for Jesus but also for the entire church and all those whom we have sinned against. Additionally, there are special supernatural graces for resisting future sins in going to confession because it is a sacrament.

      Delete
    3. Thank you Good News Ministries for visiting us here, and for your comment. We would like to welcome you here more often.

      I understand what you are saying here. I doubt, however, it is understood by many Catholics who go to Confession. To many, it is just like going to a car-wash to get their souls clean ... until they sin again. The Catholic Church, to which I belong, has failed in this teaching opportunity.

      God bless you.

      Delete
  2. I love how REAL Fr. Ignatius seems. (Like the tile work. Picky-picky sometimes, but real nonetheless.)
    I think what's important is our making an honest effort to better our behavior.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Father Ignatius is "real" because the character in my books is based on a few good priests I have known. Some sadly now dead. Some of the stories featured in the books are also real.

      I agree with you, Mevely. What is important is that after repentance we try our best to improve ourselves.

      God bless you.

      Delete
  3. That was a good story, one that everyone should remember.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Loved reading this stellar story again, Victor.
    Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Martha. I feature the stories here for those readers who do not buy my books. It seems only you, Mevely and me buy them! (Anyone else?)

      I treasure your support my friend.

      God bless.

      Delete
  5. Good old Fr. Ignatius! He is very talented in explaining the basics we sometimes can't see.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Ladka. I hope you enjoy my other Fr Ignatius stories here: www.holyvisions.co.uk

      Download your book FREE.

      God bless.

      Delete
  6. ....and that is the crux of the matter isn’t it? We do the same old things over and over. We confess but we do not repent. We are fortunate to have an understanding God, Who recognizes our human frailties. Good lesson this day!
    Many blessings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nells. Yes, we sin and after repenting we seem to sin yet again.

      God bless.

      Delete
  7. Reminds me of my youth being brought over to the church every first friday to confess. I always wonder what kind of sins does a little kid commit. You were taught that everyone is a sinner so you have to clean your soul to the priest so you could be given a penance to absolve you from your sins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Bill, I remember the Confessions to the priest when I was young. My sins were always the same, disobeying mum and dad, being greedy and having too much chocolate, (how much is too much), and fighting other boys at school. I often wondered whether I should have a standing order list of the same sins; or invent some new ones.

      God bless.

      Delete
  8. A very good story.
    A very good post.
    Thank you Victor.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  9. How comforting to know that God is so forgiving and patient with us sinners! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. True repenting also means leaning on the Holy Spirit so we don't just fall into the same pattern over and over. We need help with that, we are such creatures of habit.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Not being Catholic and confessing to a priest.... I bank on I John 1:9. If we confess out sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
    Btw...good advice to Brother Benjamin.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dearest Victor,
    That was a very fruitful and in depth conversation with Father Ignatius!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

    ReplyDelete

I PRAY FOR ALL WHO COMMENT HERE.

God bless you.