It Truly Is Necessary

26 Jun

“Hide nothing from your confessor.  A sick man can be cured only by revealing his wounds.”  ~ St. Margaret of Cortona

Confession is a touchy subject for so many people. The sad truth is that the vast majority of Catholics do not go to confession on a regular basis.  Of that number, some have not be to the sacrament in over twenty-five years.

Confession is a wonderful sacrament in which we find healing.  When we sin, we become wounded.  If we allow our wounds to fester, we become sicker spiritually.  We begin to miss, and then ignore, opportunities to grow closer to God.  When we quit asking the Lord for forgiveness, we set ourselves on a slippery path that could lead to our destruction.  It truly is that serious.

I remember, years ago, working as an orderly at St. Anthony Hospital in Crown Point.  Hearing patients tell their medical history to doctors often surprised me.  Sometimes, it shocked me.  There were many patients that ended up in the hospital because they failed to accept the fact that they were ill.  They allowed their illness to grow until they found themselves hospitalized. Sometimes, their illness had taken so strong a root in them that they never made it home.

Sometimes, they kept things back from the doctor because of shame or confusion or embarrassment.  Doing so allowed an illness to spread throughout their systems until it was untreatable.

When they found out that they were dying, they would inevitably say, “If only…”  If only they had gone to the doctor sooner. If only they had told the doctor all of their symptoms.  If only they had been honest with the doctor.  If only they would have followed their doctor’s orders.

Did you know that our souls could become sick?  Did you know that our souls could become so filled with sin that they would wither and die?  Did you know that Jesus is the Divine Physician that can heal our souls and put things aright once again?

Confession is a sacrament that helps us to become whole.  It cleanses the soul of all the filth that we have allowed to enter it through our sinfulness.  It makes our souls pure and spotless once again.  Unlike a physical illness that could become untreatable, our souls can always be washed clean as long as we go to the Lord and ask His forgiveness.

FAITH ACTION:  If you go to confession regularly, please continue doing so. If you haven’t been in a while, go to confession soon.