Reconciliation, or confession, is one of the most healing, grace-filled and unique aspects of the Catholic Church. The more you go, the more you grow in God's healing grace. Here are some reasons to go:
1. Confession helps us to better “know thyself.” Through coming to know ourselves better, we realize how fallen we are, and how badly we need God’s help and grace to get through life. Frequent confession helps remind us to rely on God to help rid us of our sins.
2. Confession helps us overcome vice. The grace we receive from the sacrament of confession helps us combat our faults and failings and break our habits of vice much more easily and expediently than we could otherwise do without the sacramental grace received in this sacrament.
3. Confession brings us peace. A sense of shame and guilt for our sins can make us feel all mixed up inside and cause us to lose our peace and joy. When we hear God’s forgiving words to us from the lips of the priest in confession, a burden is lifted off our shoulders and we can again feel the peace of heart and soul that comes from being in a good relationship with God.
4. Confession helps us grow closer in friendship with Christ.
5. Confession makes our will stronger. Every time we experience the sacrament of confession, God strengthens our will and our self-control to be able to resist the temptations that confront us in our lives. We become more resolute to follow God’s will and not our own whims.
The words of absolution in the confessional are truly beautiful: “I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus is waiting to forgive you — all you have to do is ask! Don’t miss out any longer on the healing power of confession.
Adapted from Catholics Come Home
