From the Desk of Father Bishoy Kyrollis of St. Marina Coptic Orthodox Church.

The Value and Importance of Confession
A Message from Father Kyrillos Ibrahim of St. Marina Coptic Orthodox Church

Beloved in Christ,

Peace and Grace from our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” ⁽¹⁾

The approach of the end of the year is always a reminder for us that our time on earth is passing and as we pray in the Holy Divine Liturgy, we are mere “sojourners in this place.” Our true citizenship is in heaven as the Apostle Paul reminds us, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God…”⁽²⁾

Our Lord Jesus Christ, through His death and resurrection, has granted us the new life; a life free from sin and death. However, the struggle between the new man and the old man is always warring in our life, so that we say with Apostle Paul: “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”⁽³⁾

In His love for mankind, our Lord Jesus Christ has granted us through His Church the Sacrament of Confession. Rather than a burden, this Mystery is in fact a gift of love and mercy to those weighed down by sin. Are not all of us in need of such reconciliation? St. John the Beloved says to us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”⁽⁴⁾

Like all of the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church, the Mystery of Confession is rooted in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ who came to forgive us our sins, grant us reconciliation, and bring healing to our nature. This ministry continues in the Church through the Holy Priesthood. After His glorious resurrection, the Lord appearing to His disciples said to them, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

St. Cyril of Alexandria, commenting on the miracle of the healing of the paralytic who was brought before the Lord by his four friends (Matt. 9, Mk. 2, Lk. 5) sees in the words of the Lord, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins,” a direct relation to the Mystery of Confession:

“But to whom does He refer when He says this? Himself only, or us too? Both the one and the other are true. For He forgives sins as the incarnate God, the Lord of the law. We too have received from Him this splendid and most admirable grace. He has crowned human nature with this great honor also, having said to the holy apostles, “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” And again, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

The Mystery of Confession consists of three basic actions: 1) inward repentance, 2) the confession of sins before the priest; and 3) the prayer of forgiving and remitting them pronounced by the priest (the absolution). All three components are necessary if we are to seek true healing and change in our lives. By uttering aloud one’s spiritual afflictions and falls before a spiritual father, we overcome both pride, the chief source of sins, and despondency or hopelessness in one’s correction and salvation. The Fathers and Saints of the church testify to the great power of the spoken word in confession. In the absolution we are assured of the tender mercies of our Lord Jesus Christ who wishes to remove from us the weight and guilt of sin and that He never rejects one that comes to Him, just as he did not reject the prodigal son and the repentant publican.

Modern psychology has also testified to the need and healing power of human nature expressing its shortcomings. Spiritually, through the Mystery of Confession, we are made worthy of the Holy Eucharist, we improve our spiritual lives by receiving grace and practical solutions to our problems, and we obtain the spiritual benefit of discipleship.

His Grace, the late Bishop Yoannis, in his book “Paradise of the Spirit,” gives us some practical guidelines on how to confess:

1. When you sit with the priest, forget your relationship to him and remember that he is God’s representative.
2. Confess all kinds of sins: sins of deeds, words and thoughts.
3. Say enough details of the sin in order to reveal the problem.
4. Emphasize the duration of the sin (i.e. is it habitual?).
5. Do not give yourself excuses or blame others in your confession.
6. Be honest.
7. Confess both sins committed and good deeds and virtues that were not nourished.
8. Include all aspects of your life in your confession (i.e. family, work and school).
9. Confess your sins even if you know how to overcome them.
10. Listen well to the advice of your spiritual father and accept it. If any of his advice troubles you, discuss it with him as a patient with his doctor.

Everyone in the church at every rank, whether clergy or layperson, must have a confession father…such is the importance of this sacrament in the life of the church.

Let us all begin the New Year with a commitment to partake of the grace of the Mystery of Confession and experience the joy of renewal and sanctification.

May the Lord bless you always,

___________________

1 - Ephesians 5:15-16
2 - Ephesians 2:19
3 - Romans 7:14-15
4 - 1John 1:8-9

Our Lord Jesus Christ, through His death and resurrection, has granted us the new life; a life free from sin and death. However, the struggle between the new man and the old man is always warring in our life, so that we say with Apostle Paul: “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”⁽³⁾

In His love for mankind, our Lord Jesus Christ has granted us through His Church the Sacrament of Confession. Rather than a burden, this Mystery is in fact a gift of love and mercy to those weighed down by sin. Are not all of us in need of such reconciliation? St. John the Beloved says to us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”⁽⁴⁾

Like all of the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church, the Mystery of Confession is rooted in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ who came to forgive us our sins, grant us reconciliation, and bring healing to our nature. This ministry continues in the Church through the Holy Priesthood. After His glorious resurrection, the Lord appearing to His disciples said to them, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

St. Cyril of Alexandria, commenting on the miracle of the healing of the paralytic who was brought before the Lord by his four friends (Matt. 9, Mk. 2, Lk. 5) sees in the words of the Lord, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins,” a direct relation to the Mystery of Confession:

“But to whom does He refer when He says this? Himself only, or us too? Both the one and the other are true. For He forgives sins as the incarnate God, the Lord of the law. We too have received from Him this splendid and most admirable grace. He has crowned human nature with this great honor also, having said to the holy apostles, “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” And again, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

The Mystery of Confession consists of three basic actions: 1) inward repentance, 2) the confession of sins before the priest; and 3) the prayer of forgiving and remitting them pronounced by the priest (the absolution). All three components are necessary if we are to seek true healing and change in our lives. By uttering aloud one’s spiritual afflictions and falls before a spiritual father, we overcome both pride, the chief source of sins, and despondency or hopelessness in one’s correction and salvation. The Fathers and Saints of the church testify to the great power of the spoken word in confession. In the absolution we are assured of the tender mercies of our Lord Jesus Christ who wishes to remove from us the weight and guilt of sin and that He never rejects one that comes to Him, just as he did not reject the prodigal son and the repentant publican.

Modern psychology has also testified to the need and healing power of human nature expressing its shortcomings. Spiritually, through the Mystery of Confession, we are made worthy of the Holy Eucharist, we improve our spiritual lives by receiving grace and practical solutions to our problems, and we obtain the spiritual benefit of discipleship.

His Grace, the late Bishop Yoannis, in his book “Paradise of the Spirit,” gives us some practical guidelines on how to confess:

1. When you sit with the priest, forget your relationship to him and remember that he is God’s representative.
2. Confess all kinds of sins: sins of deeds, words and thoughts.
3. Say enough details of the sin in order to reveal the problem.
4. Emphasize the duration of the sin (i.e. is it habitual?).
5. Do not give yourself excuses or blame others in your confession.
6. Be honest.
7. Confess both sins committed and good deeds and virtues that were not nourished.
8. Include all aspects of your life in your confession (i.e. family, work and school).
9. Confess your sins even if you know how to overcome them.
10. Listen well to the advice of your spiritual father and accept it. If any of his advice troubles you, discuss it with him as a patient with his doctor.

Everyone in the church at every rank, whether clergy or layperson, must have a confession father…such is the importance of this sacrament in the life of the church.

Let us all begin the New Year with a commitment to partake of the grace of the Mystery of Confession and experience the joy of renewal and sanctification.

May the Lord bless you always,

___________________

1 - Ephesians 5:15-16
2 - Ephesians 2:19
3 - Romans 7:14-15
4 - 1John 1:8-9