The Gospel tells us how Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Confession (John 20: 19-31). But through to Saint Faustina Kowalska, He also tells us this about Confession: “When you approach the confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the Priest, but I Myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy.” (Diary 1602)
And Jesus calls Confession the “Tribunal of Mercy”, adding: “were souls like a decaying corpse … the miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full (Diary 1448).
We should not think that Confession is for mortal sins only, those grave sins that kill the life of the soul. Confession is also for less grave sins, those called venial sins, which also harm the soul, offend God y damage others and also the Church.
¡Mmm! But why do I have to tell my sins to a Priest? The answer is simple: because Jesus so provided.
Think about this: it is true that the Priest is a human being as anyone else, with many weaknesses, the same or worse than others. But he has a very special power given - non the less- by God to forgive the sins of those who approach the Sacrament of Confession.
Besides, how harmful can guilt be! And God knew that we would need the catharsis of being able to leave our guilt totally in the Confessional. When we tell the Priest our sins and we hear the words of forgiveness, our soul is not only cleansed of the sins committed, but also relieved for not having to carry the weight of the guilt. Many attest to this.
This is why Jesus warns Saint Faustina: “Oh, how miserable are those who do not take advantage of this miracle of God’s Mercy!” (Diary 1448)
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