May 1, 2013 By Father Thomas J. Higman During a panel discussion in our class on the Sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick, ten transitional deacons preparing in just weeks to be ordained priests were given the chance to ask confessors of varying ages and experiences about what it would be like to hear confessions. Faithful of course to the sacramental seal which absolutely prohibits a priest from ever revealing anything about what he heard in Confession, the panel shared with us their own experiences about being new confessors. They told us how they prayed before hearing confessions, practices they found helpful to remain focused and recollected while hearing confessions, along with other pieces of spiritual and practical advice to help settle our anxious feelings about becoming ministers of this sacrament. One of the older priests shared with us what an elderly bishop had told his class while they were preparing for Ordination; the bishop said to them, “I love hearing confessions because I get to see how good people really are!” Since that day this sentiment has stuck with me - and I find it on my heart and near my lips every time I place a purple stole over my shoulders to hear confessions as well as the times I kneel on the other side of the screen and confess my own sins. Admittedly, my classmates and I, while often wanting to show the seminary that we were ready to conquer the world and set out in priestly ministry were rather anxious and nervous about taking up our new seats in the confessional. What would we say? What would we hear? What should we give for a penance? These questions, and others like them occupied much of our conversations during our last weeks at the seminary. However, what we didn’t realize was that nothing could adequately prepare us for the work we were about to undertake. While we were prepared in knowing the theology of the sacrament, the proper liturgical procedure in celebrating the sacrament, and now equipped with some advice from veteran confessors—there was still that nervous feeling that remained. Here I am now, nearly a year old in priestly ministry, and I’m happy to report, the nervous feeling remains each and every time I enter a confessional or hear the words, “Bless me Father for I have sinned.” I’m happy to report this because, in the midst of those feelings, I believe it’s God reminder that it’s not about me, it’s not about what I’m going to say—instead it’s about Him and what He’s going to say through me. With each experience, I’ve come to realize that the only reason I’m allowed to see how good people really are is because God shows me albeit my own sinfulness, how good he’s really created them to be! Hearing confessions or going to confession myself should never become something comfortable in my life because of the reality that occurs here; it’s about the change effected by God’s grace in one’s life by which sin is once again conquered and the gates of heaven are again thrown open. If that doesn’t make someone anxious, I’m not sure what will! So for me, I’m okay with the anxious feelings that accompany any trip I make to the confessional—either for myself, or for those with whom I’ve been entrusted with to serve. So next time you’re worried about what to say, or how to say it, or about who you’re saying it to - remember although you may not see it as clearly, those same sentiments are being returned from the other side of the screen—and from this recognize how good God has truly created each of us to be!
Scenes from confessionals in Madrid, Spain, during World Youth Day 2011.
|
||||
|
|||||||||
