Whether you've just been baptized, just out of curiosity, or maybe it's been a while since you last did it, confession can feel a bit stressful if you're not sure about the ordinance. What should you do? What should you say? How rigid is the process? Just relax! The way to go to confession is actually very simple-as will be outlined in the steps below!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Preparing to Confess
Step 1. Look at your conscience
For those of you who want to confess, you may want to know what to say! Sit down and reflect on your actions to do what is commonly known as a "conscience examination." Try to remember for a moment just what you have done since your last confession-starting from the smallest sin to the biggest one. If right now you want to pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance, that's fine. Are you still not sure where to start? You can ponder some of the following questions:
- Have I ever disobeyed God's word?
- Have I grown my faith?
- Are there other things I have allowed to affect me more than God?
- Have I ever denied or doubted my faith?
- Have I ever hurt someone else, either accidentally or on purpose?
- Have I ever rejected a part of my faith?
- Can I forgive?
- What are the causes of my sins? What are some temptations that I allow to surround me?
Step 2. Try to understand the difference between a mortal sin that leads to death and a venial sin
Many of us often commit venial sins; there is no need to feel ashamed about it, even though this sin must still be forgiven. Minor sins are the sins you commit on a daily basis-lying to a friend to get out of a party, disrespecting God's name, and so on. And there are also mortal sins that lead to death, which cannot be taken lightly. There are three conditions that must be met for a sin to be considered a mortal sin:
- Related to something very important
- You understand your deed the moment you do it
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You do it of your own free will
Know that whatever the sin, a priest is always will keep your secret. Either way, a priest won't (and shouldn't) judge or share your secrets. Even if you have to face death threats! Pastor is a person who can be trusted. You don't have to worry about the consequences for telling him your sins. To ignore confession is to sin!
Step 3. Determine the time for confession
You can come to church or make an appointment over the phone; many churches have set a schedule for confession. While a priest is usually easy to find, it will be easier if you stick to a set schedule. But if you can call ahead or meet briefly with the pastor, you can make an appointment to confess in a private session outside of the scheduled time.
- No need to worry about going to church! Many churches have announced a confessional schedule-usually this schedule is posted on a bulletin board outside the church or in the church bulletin, which is almost always available at the church entrance. There are even churches that put this schedule online!
- It's best to have confession in a private session if you have a lot to talk about. Confession usually takes about 10 minutes. If you need more time, don't hesitate to ask your pastor for a private confessional session.
Step 4. Pray that you will be honest and feel truly sorry
It's a good idea to pray before confessing so that everything goes well, nothing is forgotten, and to make sure that the penance you receive is useful and meaningful to you. Of course you want to do this confession with the best of intentions.
The things that support confession to work well are sincere intentions, asking for forgiveness, and doing it wholeheartedly. Even if you sit in front of the priest muttering, "I've hurt my friend" and weeping regretfully, this will be far better than reading a list of sins you've committed since your last forced confession. Confession of sins must be made on the basis of truth and honesty, with deep remorse and a determination to completely reject the sinful act
Method 2 of 3: Talking to Pastor
Step 1. Enter the church and take a seat in the pew
You can go straight to the confessional (if no one else is in the room or no one else is waiting their turn), but it would be best if you could sit down for a while to be alone. It feels as if you own this whole beautiful church. Can you feel the energy reverberate through you? Can you feel the majesty of the kingdom of God in which you are a part of this kingdom?
Take time to kneel down and pray while lowering your head and holding your palms together. Reflect on your faith and how you feel in this moment. Try to remember again how you responded to God's call and how you lived your life in the light of His love
Step 2. Enter the confessional
Of course if the priest is ready to receive you. Maybe you'll see him sitting alone in the confessional or someone walking out in front of you. Kneel in front of the priest or behind a room divider-you can say your name or not. The pastor who accepts your confession will not treat you any differently.
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Make the sign of the cross saying, "Father, bless me, for I have sinned. My last confession _." These are words that are usually spoken according to the prevailing tradition. But if you get down on your knees and greet the priest with a greeting, that's fine too. Your pastor must already know what to do.
Confession with the Byzantine Rite is somewhat different. The pastor will sit next to you and put his stula on your head while praying the Prayer of Penance. The goal remains the same – just follow where he leads you
Step 3. Follow the pastor's directions
After you get down on your knees and make the sign of the cross, follow the pastor's directions. He will ask how long it has been since you last confessed (if you haven't shared this information yourself), how you feel, maybe your faith is faltering, and after that he will ask what sins you would like to reveal to him and to your friends. Lord. This is an ordinary conversation!
Do not worry. No pressure at all on your part. Again, as long as you come with a clean heart, you will be well received in the church. There is no wrong way to confess
Step 4. Confess your sins
This part is going to be a bit stressful, but to work around it you can think of it this way: the pastor you're talking to may have heard it all before. Whatever you have to say won't surprise him. So when he asks, start saying them in order, from the biggest to the smallest. If he asks another question, answer it, but don't go into too much detail. Just say, "I've done this and that," is enough.
Your pastor will be very understanding. If you can't remember the sequence correctly, that's okay. If you don't remember what your motivation was, that's okay too. All priests care only if you are completely honest and your intentions are sincere
Step 5. Listen carefully when the pastor gives advice
He will talk about anything, maybe ask your intentions, but most of all he will tell you that God always loves you, about sins and so on. If he wants you to draw closer to God, you will also be notified at this time. A priest is here to help. After that he will ask you to pray the Prayer of Penance as follows:
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O my God, you are the one I must love more than anything. I am truly sorry for my sins.
I deliberately do wrong and do not want to do good,
I have sinned against you. With the help of Your grace,
I am determined to repent, and to sin no more.
Give me the strength to avoid anything that will lead me to sin.
O God, have mercy on me, in the name of Jesus Christ my Savior,
who suffered and died for me.
Step 6. Listen carefully as the pastor offers forgiveness and makes suggestions for penance
Do not worry! This is not a heavy claim. You can even leave immediately after saying a few prayers that will greatly support your conversion. Let this forgiveness fill your heart-now you can live a new life with a clean sheet again. It's sure to be a lot of fun!
For clarification, having received "forgiveness" means that your sins have been cleansed. "Penance" is an expression of your remorse and repentance to show God that you are truly sorry for what you have done and what you want is nothing more than getting forgiveness
Method 3 of 3: Making an Agreement
Step 1. Leave the confessional feeling better than ever
Your pastor will say to you "Go home in peace, you were sent to serve God," or something else with the same meaning. Smile and thank the priest, get out of the confessional, and cheer up! Your sins have been forgiven so you have a clean new leaf in your life. You are now closer to God. Can you feel it? Now what are you going to do to get started?
If there's a sin you forgot to mention, don't worry. God knows what your intentions are and this sin has been forgiven with the others. But you need to mention it another time so that this sin doesn't continue to weigh on your mind and cause unnecessary guilt
Step 2. You can return to the pews if you wish
Many people choose to sit back in the pews and return to prayer, thanking God in silence. And if for penance you must pray certain prayers, there is no better time to convey them to God than right now. So you can return to your seat and close your recovery with a prayer.
Many take this opportunity to reflect on their experiences and ways they can avoid sin in the future. When do you plan on going to confession again? What can you do to inspire yourself to live in His image? Strengthen your will to try to live life the way God wants you to
Step 3. Follow the pastor's suggestion for your penance
You must immediately fulfill what your pastor suggests as penance for your sins. You can do this by sitting back in the pews or through conversations with your loved ones, trying to get what God wants as quickly as possible. You'll be relieved when all is said and done!
After you've fulfilled the pastor's suggestion of atonement for your sins, take time to thank God and rejoice at the forgiveness you've received. Think about how much God loves you and how wonderful it feels to be a part of His glory. Not everyone can be so lucky as you
Step 4. Promise to always live in union with God
It doesn't mean that you will never sin again. God also knows that this is so unreasonable! You should always try to avoid situations that could lead you to sin. It would not be wise to use confession as an excuse to sin! Confession of sin is just a way to bring this imperfect human closer to God. What God wants for you is for you to do your best.
As you live your next life, remember God's role in your life and persevere to live your life according to His will. Read the scriptures for inspiration, and try to always be with people who want to live life the same way. What does it mean? Continue to love and serve God. God you know
Tips
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There is a prayer of repentance with another version, which contains the following:
Merciful God, I am sorry for my sins. I really deserve You to punish, especially because I have been unfaithful to You, who is most loving and kind to me. I hate all my sins, and promise with the help of Your grace that I will improve my life and will never sin again. Merciful God, forgive me, a sinner. Amen
