Reconciliation
«Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them»
John 20:23
The Sacrament of Reconciliation and Forgiveness
The sacrament of reconciliation is a unique Catholic rite instituted by Jesus himself.
While other Christian confessions believe that only repentance can save us, Jesus appointed certain disciples to forgive sins in His name. When we go to confession, we confess our sins not to the priest, but directly to Jesus who is always waiting to forgive us.
By confessing their sins, the baptized are also able to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist in a worthy manner.
Highlights for a Good Confession
A good confession requires just only 4 steps as follows:
1. Examination of conscience. I reflect deeply on all the things that I have done poorly including my mistakes and the good that I have failed to do. I examine my thoughts, words, actions, and inactions.
2. Contrition and purpose of amendment. I recognize that I am a sinner and I repent wholeheartedly in front of God, committing myself not to sin again.
3. During confession I follow the "4 Cs rule":
-Clarity. I clearly and directly state my sins.
-Conciseness. I tell the facts without providing irrelevant details.
-Concreteness. I try to be as specific as possible.
-Completeness. I confess all sins, even the most embarrassing ones.
4. Penance. The priest explains how I can make amends for my sins. At that moment, I thank God for his forgiveness and, commit to my resolution of amendment.
Examination of Conscience
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Have I rejected or abandoned my faith? Have I cared to know it better? Have I defended it or been ashamed of it? Is there some aspect of the faith that I do not accept?
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Have I taken God's name in vain? Have I practiced spiritualism or trusted fortune tellers or horoscopes? Have I disrespected sacred persons, places or things?
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Have I voluntarily missed Mass on Sundays or holy days of obligation?
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Have I received the Lord in Holy Communion while having some grave sin on my conscience?
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Have I received Him without gratitude or due reverence?
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Have I been impatient, jealous or angry?
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Have I held a grudge or been unwilling to forgive?
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Have I been verbally or physically violent to others?
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Have I cooperated with or encouraged anyone to abort, destroy embryos, euthanize, or end human life?
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Have I been hateful or made critical judgments of thought or deed? Have I belittled others?
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Have I spoken ill of others?
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Have I drunk alcohol to excess? Have I used drugs?
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Have I watched pornographic videos or websites? Have I committed impure acts with myself or others? Do I live with someone as if we were married without being married?
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If I am married, do I try to love my wife/husband above anyone else? Do I put my marriage first? What about my children? Am I open to new lives?
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Do I allow my work to take time and energy that belongs to my family or friends?
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Have I been arrogant or selfish in thought or deed? Have I neglected the poor or needy? Have I spent money for my personal comfort or luxury forgetting my responsibilities to others and to the Church?
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Have I lied? Have I been honest and diligent in my work? Have I stolen or cheated someone at work?
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Have I been lazy? Have I preferred my personal comfort to service to others? Have I neglected my responsibility to bring others closer to God by my example and my word?
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