This video is short but it says a lot! Chris Stefanick is a passionate, joyful evangelizer who shares his thoughts on why you should go to Confession.
Chris Stefanick
The Sacrament of Confession is scriptural. When we confess our sins to a priest, we are obeying Christ and how He envisioned us relieving the burden of our transgressions. If we are a follower of Christ we do what He asks us to do!
Chris gives us four main reasons to go to Confession. Some of the reasons he suggests are ones that are not typically mentioned : psychological health, going straight to God instead of relying on ourselves , making sure our serious, mortal sins are forgiven and healing our community through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
There is so much packed into this short video you may have to watch it several times to catch it all.
Make sure you're taking notes!
Key Takeaways
- The devil is a liar. His desire is that our sins would fester in our heart, harming us mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. When you confess your sins, you are removing their power over you.
- When you go to Confession you are going straight to Christ himself. The priest is "In personaChristi", in English, " In the person of Christ". Professing your sins to Christ is preferable to saying them to yourself in your room.
- Mortal sin breaks the friendship we have with God. If we desire to restore this relationship we must seek absolution from a priest. We can be sure of this healing when we hear the words the priest speaks during the sacrament.
- The only way to heal the damage we have done to the community when we sin is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
- My relationship with God does not depend on my perfect love for Him but on His perfect love for me.
Questions for Reflection
- Were any of the reasons Chris mentioned for going to Confession new to you?
- What do you think about the words the priest speaks to you in the sacrament? Did this video give you a greater appreciation of what is said in Confession?
- What do you think of the concept that Christ died to give us grace and mercy? Do you think of that reality in relationship to the Sacrament of Confession?
Other Resources
Mortal vs. Venial Sin
Fr. Mike opens with the scripture passage from 1 John 5: 16-17. "There is such a thing as deadly sin", writes John.
There are 3 stipulations for a sin to be mortal:
- The offense must be serious
- You must know it's serious
- You must give full consent to committing the offense
All sin is wrongdoing and an offense against God. Venial sins harm our relationship with God, but mortal sin breaks our communion with Him. This is true in all relationships. Some offenses will weaken our friendship, but some will cause irreparable damage. We should strive to not offend anyone we're in a relationship with, particularly our Lord.
The wonderful gift is that grace is always available to us. God desires to restore our relationship with Him. No one is beyond the reach of God's grace. It's time to be forgiven.
Key Takeaways
There is a difference between mortal and venial sin.
- There is a difference between venial and mortal sin.
- Mortal sin is a grave action, committed in full knowledge of its gravity and with full consent.
- Venial sin weakens us to the point where it makes committing a mortal sin easier.
- Confession is the Sacrament of Mercy.
- Sin is a wound in our relationship with God and others.
- Grace is always available to us
Questions for Reflection
- Are you sensitive to the difference between a mortal and venial sin and realize when you have committed one or the other?
- Do you try to avoid venial sins and confess them regularly to avoid falling into more serious sin?
- Do you think it's important to examine yourself daily to see a pattern of behaviors which may be sinful or ways where you have failed to love God and others?
Examination of Conscience Using the Beatitudes
Looking for a different way to examine your conscience? Using the Beatitudes is a wonderful tool to see how we are not living up to the Lord's standards. "Am I gentle with others or am I harsh?" "Do I truly yearn for God's Will to be done, in my life and in all things?" " Do I love purity and honesty?" These probing questions and more are in this beautiful examination.
Why Confess My Sins To A Priest?
The Sacrament of Confession is scriptural. When we confess our sins to a priest, we are obeying Christ and how He envisioned us relieving the burden of our transgressions. If we are a follower of Christ we do what He asks us to do!
Chris gives us four main reasons to go to Confession. Some of the reasons he suggests are ones that are not typically mentioned : psychological health, going straight to God instead of relying on ourselves , making sure our serious, mortal sins are forgiven and healing our community through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
There is so much packed into this short video you may have to watch it several times to catch it all.
Make sure you're taking notes!
Key Takeaways
- The devil is a liar. His desire is that our sins would fester in our heart, harming us mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. When you confess your sins, you are removing their power over you.
- When you go to Confession you are going straight to Christ himself. The priest is "In personaChristi", in English, " In the person of Christ". Professing your sins to Christ is preferable to saying them to yourself in your room.
- Mortal sin breaks the friendship we have with God. If we desire to restore this relationship we must seek absolution from a priest. We can be sure of this healing when we hear the words the priest speaks during the sacrament.
- The only way to heal the damage we have done to the community when we sin is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
- My relationship with God does not depend on my perfect love for Him but on His perfect love for me.
Questions for Reflection
- Were any of the reasons Chris mentioned for going to Confession new to you?
- What do you think about the words the priest speaks to you in the sacrament? Did this video give you a greater appreciation of what is said in Confession?
- What do you think of the concept that Christ died to give us grace and mercy? Do you think of that reality in relationship to the Sacrament of Confession?
Confession Changed Me
Joseph Pronechen collects stories about several people who returned to the Sacrament of Reconciliation after being away for many years. Beautiful testimonies! There is so much joy in their return to God.
Why Confess Your Sins to a Priest (Part 2) | Made for Glory
In Fr. Nixon's first video on Confession, he explains where the authority of the sacrament originated. Jesus has the power to forgive sins and He passes this ability on to His priests. In this video he examines some particulars of the sacrament.
A priest may never break the seal of Confession. He is forbidden to discuss any particulars of what he has been told by the penitent. He assures us that priests do not remember the sins they have been told. After hearing many Confessions, a priest will not be scandalized by our sins.
In Confession we name what we have done. Declaring it out loud is in an important step in the healing process. The wound has been opened and can now be cured.
Key Takeaways
- Your sins are not that interesting.
- The priest rejoices with those who are coming to the sacrament.
- We are good at deceiving ourselves, that's why it's important to confess our sins.
- When we claim our sins, God can bring His grace, His mercy and His healing to our soul.
- When we hide our sins they fester.
Questions for Reflection
- Have you ever been healed of a sin you were afraid to confess and felt the relief afterwards?
- Did you realize how serious the seal of Confession is for a priest?
- Are there things in your life you blame others for, but you know they are a result of your own failings?
Bulldog Catholic examination of Conscience
This Examination of Conscience is very thorough covering:
Making an Examination of Conscience
The difference between mortal and venial sin
The Ten Commandments
The precepts of the Church
How to go to Confession
Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding Confession
Quotes from Saints on Confession
Pope Francis on Confession