Question first
appeared on March 24, 2002
If you are truly sorry for something you
did, is it still necessary to go to confession?
Being
sorry for something that we do is only Aone
step@
in the process of confessing our sins.
This process follows the following sequence:
BRealization
and acceptance that ASIN@ exists:
Today=s
modern world, with all of its philosophies, has done much to convince us
that there is no such thing as ASIN.@
Sin is basically defined as AMissing
the Mark.@
Jesus said, ATherefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is
perfect.@
(Matt. 5:48) Anything short
of hitting this Amark
of perfection@
is Asin.@
BThe
admission that AI@ have committed sin:
There are many people today who think that others may sin, but
they do not sin. One
problem is that they misunderstand the previous stepBthey
believe that sin involves only the most obvious bad actions, i.e.,
murder, theft, adultery, etc. Added to this is the modern tendency to blame others for
their apparent wrongdoing: parents, peers, teachers, social environment,
ad nauseam. Shocking us
back to reality, however, are the words of the Apostle John:
AIf
we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not
in us.@
(1 John 1:8)
BThe
realization that I am Asorry@ for committing sin: Some
people may admit to committing sin, but are not sorry.
They cannot be forgiven. Others
admit that they are Asorry@ for
their sins, but they stop here. These
individuals make a serious mistake.
In order to receive forgiveness, they must proceed to the next
step.
BI
Arepent@
of my sin and will change my way of life:
ARepentance@
of our sins means that we desire to totally change direction, to go from
doing Awrong@
to doing Aright.@
It implies a complete 180 degree turn-around, not 179 degrees,
and we will do all in our power to affect that change.
BComplete
faith in Jesus Christ to help me affect the change: Even
though one may feel weak and ineffective in their attempts to change
their sinful ways, they must express complete faith in Jesus Christ and
the Church. It is this Afaith@
that can effect the changes which will bring us closer to perfection Ain
Christ.@
BThe
admission that AI@ have committed sin:
There are many people today who think that others may sin, but
they do not sin. One
problem is that they misunderstand the previous stepBthey
believe that sin involves only the most obvious bad actions, i.e.,
murder, theft, adultery, etc. Added to this is the modern tendency to blame others for
their apparent wrongdoing: parents, peers, teachers, social environment,
ad nauseam. Shocking us
back to reality, however, are the words of the Apostle John:
AIf
we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not
in us.@
(1 John 1:8)
BThe
realization that I am Asorry@ for committing sin: Some
people may admit to committing sin, but are not sorry.
They cannot be forgiven. Others
admit that they are Asorry@ for
their sins, but they stop here. These
individuals make a serious mistake.
In order to receive forgiveness, they must proceed to the next
step.
BI
Arepent@
of my sin and will change my way of life:
ARepentance@
of our sins means that we desire to totally change direction, to go from
doing Awrong@
to doing Aright.@
It implies a complete 180 degree turn-around, not 179 degrees,
and we will do all in our power to affect that change.
BComplete faith in Jesus Christ to help me affect the
change: Even though one may feel weak and ineffective in
their attempts to change their sinful ways, they must express complete
faith in Jesus Christ and the Church.
It is this Afaith@ that can effect the
changes which will bring us closer to perfection Ain
Christ.@
İVery
Rev. Fr. Olof Scott, Sunday Bulletin, March 24, 2002
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