Immersed in Christ: Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Confession of Sin - Profession of Faith

The real focus of confession is not on our “works” but on our faith. We only confess the failure of our works in order to reaffirm—and in the process to experience—the presence within us of a live faith by which we judge them. In confession we recognize the light in our hearts when we see it revealing to us the darkness of our behavior. Therefore we should prepare for confession by looking at our lives in the light of the word of God and of God’s Spirit abiding in our hearts.

In the early Church, proof of faith took the form of a long and rigorous public penance imposed by the bishop—like standing outside the door of the church in sackcloth and ashes for years, or being required to live only on alms. The penance had to be completed before the bishop would grant absolution and readmit the penitent to full participation in Eucharist. The breach was healed, unity was restored, and the morale of the community—weakened by doubts—was strengthened.

Take Action: Stand outside the church door in sackcloth and ashes. Or, at the end of the day today, take 15 minutes to think through your day and see if you can determine when the Holy Spirit may have been trying to communicate something to you. If you responded tp the Holy Spirit favorably, thank God for the grace. If not, ask for help to respond better tomorrow.