Confession: God’s Mercy & Grace in Abundance! The Origin and Importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation

OLDCOVENANT(TESTAMENT)FORGIVENESSOFSINS:• GodoffersHispeopleforgivenessintheOldandNewTestaments.• OurGodisaGodofMercyandLove!• God,inHismercy,allowsconsequencesforsin,becausetheconsequencesinspirerepentanceand

callusbacktoHim. • GodcommunicatesHiscovenanttoMoses,whorelaysittothe12tribesofIsraelintheBookof

Exodus.

• GodforgivesthesinsofHischosenpeople,theJews,throughtheministryofthepriesthood.AspertheOldCovenantlaw,toshowrepentanceandobtainforgivenessforsins,Godrequiredconfessionofthesintoapriestandanimalsacrificestoatonefortheirsins.

• GodpromisesmercyintheOldTestamentandkeepsHispromise.

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NEWCOVENANT(TESTAMENT)FORGIVENESSOFSINS:

• AspartoftheNewCovenant,JesusestablishesaChurch,theCatholicChurch,andSacramentstoconferHisgrace.

• JesusmakesclearthattheFatherhassenthimandthatHehasthepowertoforgivesins.(Mark2:5-12–Jesusforgivesandhealstheparalytic)

• HethenpassesonthispowertoHisApostles,Hisministers(priests/bishops),whenHeappearstothemafterHisresurrection.

Matthew5:17à Jesussays,“DonotthinkthatIhavecometoabolishthelawortheprophets.Ihavecomenottoabolishbuttofulfill.”

LeviticusdescribeswhattheIsraelitesweretodotoatoneforsins…Leviticus5:5-6à“whensomeoneisguiltyinregardtoanyofthesematters,thatpersonshallconfessthewrongcommitted,andmakereparationtotheLORDforthewrongcommitted:afemaleanimalfromtheflock,aewelamborashe-goat,asapurificationoffering.Thusthepriestshallmakeatonementontheindividual’sbehalfforthewrong.”

God’sCovenantwiththe12tribesofIsrael…Exodus24:4-8àMosesthenwrotedownallthewordsoftheLORDand,risingearlyinthemorning,hebuiltatthefootofthemountainanaltarandtwelvesacredstonesforthetwelvetribesofIsrael.Then,havingsentyoungmenoftheIsraelitestoofferburntofferingsandsacrificeyoungbullsascommunionofferingstotheLORD,Mosestookhalfofthebloodandputitinlargebowls;theotherhalfhesplashedonthealtar.Takingthebookofthecovenant,hereaditaloudtothepeople,whoanswered,“AllthattheLORDhassaid,wewillhearanddo.”Thenhetookthebloodandsplasheditonthepeople,saying,“Thisisthebloodofthecovenant**whichtheLORDhasmadewithyouaccordingtoallthesewords.”(**ParalleltoJesus’wordsattheLastSupper)

Isaiah43:25à ItisI,I,whowipeout,formyownsake,youroffenses;yoursinsIremembernomore.

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• IntheNewCovenant,theSacramentofConfession/Reconciliation/PenanceishowGodextendsHismercytous.ThehealingSacramentofReconciliationassuresusofthatforgiveness.

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ONSIN&CONFESSIONTOAPRIEST:• Sinwoundsus,andwoundsourrelationshipswithGodandothers.• Twotypes:Venial(everydaysins)andMortal(completelybreakourconnectiontoGod)• 3conditionsofmortalsin:mustbeagravematter,committedwithfullknowledgeanddeliberate

consent(CCC,Paragraph1857).• AsCatholicsweshouldconfessallmortalsinsbeforereceivingJesusintheEucharist.• Wearestronglyencouragedtogotoconfessionregularly,sothatGod’sgracedoesn’thaveany

difficultyreachingus.• WearealsoencouragedtoconfessourdailyvenialsinstoJesusdirectlyusinganexaminationof

conscience.• WhenwegotoConfession,wearegoingtoJesus.ThepriestisGod’sservantactingonJesus’behalf;

Itis,therefore,JesusHimselfwhotellsus,“Iabsolveyouofyoursin.”• PrayforyourpriestbeforetheSacrament.Heisonlyhuman.• Confessionisforus!SinwoundsusandGodhealsus,throughtheSacramentthatHeinstituted.• TheSacramentofConfessioncommunicatesGod’sloveandforgivenesstous,reconcilesuswithour

Saviour,andprovidesuswithgracetohelpus“sinnomore.”“WithGod,allthingsarepossible(Matthew19:26)!”It’sallaboutthegrace!

• “Eyehasnotseen,andearhasnotheard,whatGodhaspreparedforthosewholovehim(1Corinthians2:9).”“Theworldisyourshipandnotyourhome.”~SaintThérèseofLisieux

PRACTICINGCATHOLICS…Observethe10commandments,assenttoChurchteachinganddotheirbesttofollowthe5preceptsoftheCatholicChurch(CCC,Paragraphs2041-2043).Thesearethe5precepts:• GotoMasseverySundayandonholydaysofobligation(ChristmasDay&NewYearsDayinCanada).• ConfessallmortalsinsandgotoConfessionatleastonceperyear,(Monthlyisrecommended).• ReceivetheEucharistatleastonceperyearduringtheEasterseason.• FastonAshWednesdayandonGoodFriday.• ProvideforthematerialneedsoftheChurch,accordingtoyourability.

Thesearetheminimumrequirements!Ifanyofthesearenotmet,wearestronglyencouragedtogotoConfessionbeforewereceiveJesusintheEucharist…

John20:21-23à Jesustellsthem,“Peacebewithyou.AstheFatherhassentme,soIsendyou.”Andwhenhehadsaidthis,hebreathedonthemandsaidtothem,“ReceivetheholySpirit.Whosesinsyouforgiveareforgiventhem,andwhosesinsyouretainareretained.”

1John1:9à “Ifweconfessoursins,heisfaithfulandjustandwillforgiveoursinsandcleanseusfromallunrighteousness.”

1Corinthians11:27-30à “whoevereatsthebreadordrinksthecupoftheLordunworthilywillhavetoanswerforthebodyandbloodoftheLord.Apersonshouldexaminehimself,andsoeatthebreadanddrinkthecup.Foranyonewhoeatsanddrinkswithoutdiscerningthebody,eatsanddrinksjudgmentonhimself.Thatiswhymanyamongyouareillandinfirm,andaconsiderablenumberaredying.”

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A Comparison of Old and New Covenant Confession

OLDCOVENANT(TESTAMENT) NEWCOVENANT(TESTAMENT) OurGodisamercifulGod!(Example:Genesis3:21)

TheNewCovenantisineverywaybetterthantheOld;JesusdiestoopenHeavenforus.

TheGenesisStoryofNoah:Thewatersofthefloodcleansetheworldofsin.

ThewatersofBaptismnowsaveus.(1Peter3:18-21)

GodestablishestheOldCovenantwiththeIsraelitepeoplethroughMoses(highpriest),whosays:“This

isthebloodofthecovenant.”

IntheNewCovenant,JesusestablishesaChurchandSacramentstoconferHisgrace,saying:“Thisis

thebloodofthenewcovenant.”Mosesisthehighpriest,mediatorbetweenGodandtheIsraelitepeople.Maleministersfromthe12tribesofIsraelmakeanimalsacrificestoatonefor

sinonbehalfofthepeople.

JesusistheHighPriest,mediatorbetweenGodandHisNewCovenantpeople.Hisministers,beginningwiththe12Apostles(priestsandbishops),renew

theonesacrificeateveryMass.God’sCovenantiswithHischosenpeople,

theIsraelites/theJews.God’sNewCovenantisforeveryone!(NotjustJews,butGentilestoo!)

IntheOldTestament,GodforgivesthesinsofHischosenpeople,theJews,throughtheministryofthe

priesthood.

IntheNewTestament,GodforgivesthesinsofHispeople,throughtheministryoftheCatholic

priesthoodandtheSacraments.AspertheOldCovenantlaw,toshowrepentanceandobtainforgivenessforsins,Godrequired

confessionofsintoapriestandanimalsacrificestoatoneforsins.

Nomoreanimalsacrificeisrequired.IntheNewTestament,Jesusbecomesthesacrificeandatonesforoursins,onceandforall.Wereceivethis

forgivenessthroughtheSacramentofConfession.JoshuaisappointedasMoses’successorto

“shepherd”God’speople.(Numbers27:16-20)

TheApostlesappointMatthiastotakeJudas’place(Acts1:16-26)andappointnewprieststoservethe

growingChurch(Acts14,1Cor.9:1-5,etc.).

Recommended Resources:

• http://freetruth.ca/Sin-and-Confession.phpà LinkstofreeandfaithfulresourcesontheSacramentofConfession.

• GoodConfession.comà AllyouneedtoknowabouttheSacramentofReconciliation.

• Catholic.comàFindfaithfulanswerstojustaboutanyquestionyouhaveontheCatholicFaith.

• OnYouTube.comàExtremeDemands,ExtremeMercy-BISHOPROBERTBARRONàInsidethePages-The7SecretsofConfessionwithVINNYFLYNNàTheHealingPowerofConfession-DR.SCOTTHAHN(3parts)àWhatConstitutesaPracticingCatholic?–FRMIKESCHMITZ

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