Posted on June 15, 2024
Catechism Meditation:
Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. ―No. 1458
REFLECTION. A common reason many Catholics give for not going to confession is, “My sins aren’t that big. I haven’t stolen anything or killed anyone.” If you think this way, you are sadly deceiving yourself and there are consequences to being lukewarm in your faith. A great saint once thought this way too until she was cautioned otherwise…
St. Teresa of Avila entered the Carmelites at a young age. She didn’t have any serious sins, but she wasn’t taking her religious duties seriously or trying to overcome her lesser, or venial sins. In other words, she was guilty of being tepidity (a lukewarm faith). God shook her up by giving her a vision of the place in hell reserved for her unless she repented. The point is that while she wouldn’t have been condemned for the sins she had committed up to that time, her diminishing love of God would have led to an eventual loss of faith—a sin deserving eternal damnation. (Teresa, of course, repented after this warning, and thereafter grew rapidly in holiness).
Tepidity has been defined as making a truce with venial sin—in other words, convincing ourselves that our little sins don’t really matter or aren’t going to change (telling ourselves “that’s just who I am”). If we’re to reach heaven, God expects us to make an honest effort to continue growing in His grace—and the accountability provided by the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) is an important step in this direction.
Going to Confession not only when we commit serious sins, but even when we commit smaller, venial sins on a regular basis, is good for the soul, and rejoices the Heart of our Savior. One of Satan’s favorite tricks is to make us downplay the very thing we need most to be at spiritual peace. It’s not so much that we “have” to go to confession, but that we sometimes need to—and responding to our deepest needs can be an important sign of holiness and spiritual maturity.
PRAYER. Lord, by your Spirit awaken in your Church a deep hunger for the sacramental graces of Confession.
Timeless Wisdom Quote:
“A Catholic may sin and sin as badly as anyone else, but no genuine Catholic ever denies he is a sinner. A Catholic wants his sins forgiven – not excused or sublimated.” ― Venerable Fulton J. Sheen
Featured Video:
The Devil and Confession (12:07)