Confession Is Beautiful

Why do Catholics confess their sins to a priest, and not directly to Jesus?

Catholics always confess their sins to God. We do it directly as well as through His ministers because that is what God requires, as clearly taught in Scripture.

There are many non-Catholic Christians who believe that sins are wiped away in Baptism. This means they believe that their ministers or pastors are used by God as His instruments in the forgiveness of sins through a sacrament, Baptism, which they administer. Catholics too believe this about Baptism, but we also believe that priest are used by God as His instruments for the forgiveness of sins in three sacraments: Confession, Anointing of the Sick, and Baptism. Many Christians believe God can use their ministers and pastors as instruments in His physical healing, so why wouldn't God do the same with spiritual healing?

Christ gave His disciples the power to forgive sins on Easter Sunday. He conferred this power by breathing on the Apostles. The only other time that God breathed on anyone was when He breathed life into the first human being. (Genesis 2:7.) Read John 20:22-23 where it states that Jesus "breathed" on them and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Both breathing instances were that of an intimate, powerful moment between God and man. Jesus is clearly giving the disciples the authority to forgive, and not to forgive sins.

But how would His priests” forgive or retain” unless they actually “hear” the sins? If Jesus intended for everyone to confess their sins directly to God, why would Jesus need to give his apostles the authority to forgive? In Matthew 18:18, Jesus again gives the apostles authority to forgive sins by stating: “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever y shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.”

As Christ well knew, to confess your sins to a priest, whom God has given the authority to be His stand-in, and actually state aloud the sin is not an easy thing to do. It requires humility, a heart-felt examination of conscience, trust in God and the Church, and a true contrition of heart. It can often seem like a frightening, humiliating act, especially if you have been away from it for a while. But once you do, it is guaranteed that a relief and cleansing will immediately follow, as well as a strong sense of forgiveness. There is no doubt that you are forgiven when you hear the words of absolution spoken from Jesus’ representative one earth, His priest.

Nothing in the world can compare to the joy of the soul after a good confession. The veil of sin falls away and the light of grace fills the soul. If you have not been to confession in a while – just go. God knows we all need it. Just go. Jesus is waiting for you.