Confession

[Vasya Davidovich]

I noticed someone spoke of confession in another thread. This got me thinking. What are your experiences of confession?

Good?
Heavenly?
Bad?
Hellish?
I am afraid of the very idea?
I figured this could be an interesting Lenten theme.

[Vasya Davidovich]

I tried to add a couple more options to the poll, but I wasn't allowed.

I'm sorry, but the poll has no option for guests and lurkers. My apologies!

[Vasya Davidovich]

Presbytera Frederica Mathewes-Green on confession:
... Preparing to go to confession can be stressful; one feels awkward and embarassed to say some things aloud. But saying them, and then hearing them forgiven, turns out to be surprisingly liberating. It's freeing to have no secrets and to know that one's most shameful moments are seen, known, and forgiven by God. Receiving this forgiveness through the priest, hearing the words aloud, contributes to a sense of permanency and reliability; it's not just you talking to the bedroom ceiling. As my husband says, on the way in people say, "I hate confession!" On the way out they say, "I love confession!"

[Strength&Honour]

Just had my first confession a few months ago. It was a very scary thought , but walking through it and finding a spiritual father to help with the big issues of life was the best thing for my Christian life.

[Strength&Honour]

Love the quote. The last line says it all.

[33ad]

Before I converted, confession was a bit strange to me. Now I welcome it as something that liberates the soul.

I am also more careful in life not to do anything to cause an embarrasing confession.:)

Kolya

[Strength&Honour]

I am also more careful in life not to do anything to cause an embarrasing confession.:)

Kolya
:amen: good point!

[Dust and Ashes]

It's not something I've thought too much about but while we are discussing it, I have a couple of questions. When I do my life confession, how will I go about it? Will the priest "help" me with the confession or guide me, so to speak?

If it's confessing all my sins before becoming Orthodox, it will take several hours and I'm afraid of the repercussions as the priest is certain to have some concerns about me afterwards. Before I became a Protestant Christian in 1992, I did a lot of things that were pretty sick and quite a few things that were down-right evil. I honestly can't think of anything that was beneath me to do. :(

[Michael the Iconographer]

Confession with my current spiritual father is always a moving experience. I try to go about once a month.

[Verushka]

Heavenly would be my answer.
When preparing to receive my first confession last year, I was pretty nervous how would it turn out to be like. I was just about to become orthodox and had all my lifes mistakes burdening me at the same moment. I was waiting for my turn in the church. Priest came up and said it is now possible to come to make a confession. At once this very old little lady rushed towards him with a big smile shining on her face and followed the priest to his chamber looking like the happiest human being on the world. She was going to confession! That made me realize what a priviledge it is to have a chance to truly weight what is important in ones life and take a new cource by attending this sacrament. Needless to say I wasn't terrified anymore. And when I had done mine it was just impossible to describe the joy and lightness afterwards.

[gzt]

Don't worry about the repercussions. I think that even if you cut down your confession to like 20 minutes or something you should probably leave those things in. Hide nothing. That's the point of confession.

[Theophorus]

It's not something I've thought too much about but while we are discussing it, I have a couple of questions. When I do my life confession, how will I go about it? Will the priest "help" me with the confession or guide me, so to speak?

If it's confessing all my sins before becoming Orthodox, it will take several hours and I'm afraid of the repercussions as the priest is certain to have some concerns about me afterwards. Before I became a Protestant Christian in 1992, I did a lot of things that were pretty sick and quite a few things that were down-right evil. I honestly can't think of anything that was beneath me to do. :(

I too had reservations. I was in the military for 8 years with a large amount of time overseas. I thought that my confession could take about 4 days but in reality it was about 45 min to an hour. I think I know your circumstance and how it is different, but just express those concerns to your spiritual father beforehand.
My priest gave me an outline of categories of sin as a guide. You'll get through it brother.

[ExOrienteLux]

I've been going a couple times a month or so, but I think that at least during Lent, I'm going to go before every Liturgy, Sunday, Feast-day, or Presanctified. I need it.

[Matrona]

It was helpful for me to recite a general prayer and then Father asked me specific things that have been troubling me. With the general prayer I was able to discuss things that would have been beyond my ability to admit to spontaneously.

I also appreciate that my confessor doesn't ask for a laundry list of sins and nothing more... For example, if I went to my doctor every week and told him each time I had a headache, and he gave me aspirin each and every time, what good would that do me? I'd still keep having headaches and never reach the root cause. Father wants to help me reach that root cause instead of just giving me a couple more aspirin.

[countrymouse33ad]

I go in dreading it, and come away feeling clean and new again. I couldn't even adequately describe the relief I felt after my full-life confession last year, even though I had been confessing many of those same sins to God privately.

[Monica, child of God]

I also appreciate that my confessor doesn't ask for a laundry list of sins and nothing more... For example, if I went to my doctor every week and told him each time I had a headache, and he gave me aspirin each and every time, what good would that do me? I'd still keep having headaches and never reach the root cause. Father wants to help me reach that root cause instead of just giving me a couple more aspirin.


This was helpful to me as well. A priest who gave me advice on confession told me to look for patterns of sin and things that recur. Those are the most important things to bring to confession. He said that we should confess our daily sins in our private prayers but it is not absolutely necessary to remember every sin we commit between sacramental confessions. God is not trying to trip us up or test our memories in this Holy Mystery. Just be as honest and open as possible. Plus, as we grow in our experience of him, our ability to discern sin in our lives will increase as well.

[Photini]

Confession has always been for me, the most dreadful and amazing experience at the same time. I get very forgetful, so I usually write a few things down.

[Michael the Iconographer]

Confession has always been for me, the most dreadful and amazing experience at the same time.

I completely understand and agree with that statement!

[Maximus]

I go in dreading it, and come away feeling clean and new again. I couldn't even adequately describe the relief I felt after my full-life confession last year, even though I had been confessing many of those same sins to God privately.

I agree.

I dread it somewhat, especially the fear that I will forget something.

I always feel great when the priest pronounces forgiveness and absolution. It sometimes brings tears to my eyes.

I should just keep a xeroxed copy of my sins, though.

I'm always committing the same ones, it seems.

Sigh . . .

[Vasya Davidovich]

Xerox?
LOL

I was just suggesting to a friend that I make a tape recording and play that every confession. It would cut out the embarassment of repeating oneself and one's personal list of sins every confession.

Currently, chez Vasya:
Um... pride? Still have that.
Vanity? Oh, yes. As always.
Lust? Definitely.
Anger? Like last time, Father.
Etc.

Instead we could go for: "This is a recording of the exceedingly contrite and repentant Vasya, whose sins include X, Y, and Z. Please record any spiritual counsel at the end of this message."

[Maximus]

Xerox?
LOL

I was just suggesting to a friend that I make a tape recording and play that every confession. It would cut out the embarassment of repeating oneself and one's personal list of sins every confession.

Currently, chez Vasya:
Um... pride? Still have that.
Vanity? Oh, yes. As always.
Lust? Definitely.
Anger? Like last time, Father.
Etc.

Instead we could go for: "This is a recording of the exceedingly contrite and repentant Vasya, whose sins include X, Y, and Z. Please record any spiritual counsel at the end of this message."

Lol.

That would probably work for me, too.

I expect one day to hear my priest say, "The usual?"

[Vasya Davidovich]

Lol.

That would probably work for me, too.

I expect one day to hear my priest say, "The usual?"

ROTFL

It could be worse. Instead of being a regular in a place of nourishing food, you could be a transient in a place of so-called fast food. It is bad news when "my confession" becomes "McOnfession".

Fries with that?