WHAT IS SACRAMENTAL CONFESSION?

In our daily life, humanity is surrounded by guilt of offences committed both past and present, one continues to live with this guilt which often has an adverse effect on the health of the individual, affecting the entire system; psychologically, physically and spiritually. Human guilt when accumulated lead to psychosomatic diseases and hence there is always an urgent need for one to liberate himself or herself from this disastrous guilt which keeps the individual in a dilapidated condition. Sacramental confession therefore becomes therapeutic approach to human system in liberating one from these psychosomatic diseases thereby creating a healthy system both spiritually, physically and psychologically.

Sacramental confession is the accusation of one's own sins committed after Baptism, made to an authorized priest for the purpose of obtaining absolution, which confession is necessary by divine precept. Personal actual sins, and not merely imperfections, are to be confessed to a spiritual judge who is authorized to judge them for the purpose of absolution. A confession made for some other reason, such as counsel, consolation, or mockery, is not sacramental (and thus not under the seal).

By the ancient custom of the Church, confession should be vocal. The obligation is grave to confess one's sins orally, unless a just cause in case of necessity requires nods, signs, or writing. Such a just cause is present if the penitent is dumb, or because of illness or some other reason is able to speak only with great difficulty, or he cannot make an integral declaration of sins because of extreme embarrassment, anxiety, or scruples, or if the confessor is hard of hearing and cannot hear the penitent without bystanders also hearing. The deaf and dumb are obliged to confess in signs and nods according to their ability. Those who do not know the language of the confessor should confess by signs and nods as best they can.

Whenever a confession is made one is relieved of great burdens which weigh one down as one involves himself or herself in a spiritual journey. Confession therefore is a spiritual liberation from the shackles of sin and grudges which is detrimental to human health and spiritual life.

STAGES IN THE COURSE OF SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

The penitent for sincere confession has to pass through these three stages,

1.      Contrition(kupfidza)

Contrition is the act of repentance. It is sorrow of the soul and detestation for sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again. When this emanates from the longing for who loves his children and demonstrated through the offering of his only son, contrition becomes perfect. Contrition goes with pain. It is a feeling of guilt for sin committed and with a strong desire to turn to God and with a grave resolution not to sin again.

2.      Confession of sins( kurevurura)

This is an essential part of the sacrament of reconciliation. It is an oral disclosure of sin committed to an ordained priest in union with the church formally authorized for this sacramental task. All mortal sins of which the penitent after a diligent self-examination of conscience must be recounted in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue.

3.      Satisfaction( kuripira)

Man is a social being and hence sin committed wrong neighbor, causes grief, discomfort and sorrow. In satisfaction a repair for these damages is encouraged. This repair could be seen as retribution; a return of stolen items or an effort to reconcile with those offended.  Satisfactions are measures taken to reintegrate into the society which one has been alienated as a result of sin. It is an amendment for damages made in the course of sin.

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION OF SACRAMENTAL CONFESSION

As Scriptural basis for this sacrament, the Catholic Church refers to the following.

 John 20:23, where Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into the Apostles saying, ("Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall “retain, they are retained,”

 James 5:16 "Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved.

Matt 16:18-20. “Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.   And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  From the power given to Peter as the chief shepherd of the church of Christ, the church received the power of forgiveness of sins. This is entrusted to her priest who takes after the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

IMPORTANCE OF CONFESSION

1.      Psychological liberation

Inability of one to forgive, results to psychological imprisonment and depression, which often lead to psychosomatic diseases. Sin carries a lot of guilt which continues to torment human conscience thereby creating disorderliness to the mind. When confession is made the human is liberated and the burden which sin places on individual is removed by the grace of confession and conscience regains its freedom which had earlier been obstructed by the guilt of sin.

2.      Physical liberation

An accumulation of guilt and lack of forgiveness creates an adverse condition to human system and subsequently gives room to different bodily diseases.  Whenever the mind is unstable the human system becomes tensed and thereby increasing the blood pressure and when this continues one begins to suffer from hypertension. Tension could increase the acidic content of the body leading to ulcer and in grave condition could lead to cancer which implies undue multiplication of cell stimulated by the disorderliness created by tension of guilt. Confession brings calmness to the disordered mind, thereby reducing human internal tension. Confession stabilizes the system when the guilt of sin is removed by the grace of God who forgives human sin. The one who confesses often goes home happily, relieved and liberated from the shackles of sin.

3.      Social Integration

When sin comes in, it leads to withdrawal as a result of shame and grievance that accompany sin. One becomes alienated in his or her community. The sacrament of Penance with its power of forgiveness integrates one to his or her community and makes him or her gain confidence in himself or herself. It unites one to the community a relationship which had gone sour through entanglement with sin.

4.      Restoration of integrity

Sin brings degradation to human dignity; it affects the wholeness of the individual, diminishing the image of God in man as a result of infiltration of sin. Sacramental confession in its divine power of forgiveness restores the integrity of humanity when sin is forgiven and illumines the light of Christ in us for continuity in a world full of uncertainties.

REPENTANCE

WHAT IS REPENTANCE?

Repentance is an internal transformation of the heart from the path of darkness to the path of light, which is influenced by one's encounter with God who is the source of human enlightenment. In repentance there is an internal grieve for ones past with a yearning for an amendment, stimulated by one's encounter with the Holy Spirit. Repentance is often accompanied by a cry and expression of a zeal for reparation of one’s life which has been affected by sin.

In repentance the soul moves towards God in sorrow as a result of the past mistakes, having realized that God is the only human solace with a resolution to an allegiance to God who is the Supreme Being. Repentance opens the heart for forgiveness having experienced the light of the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of God one is challenged to forgive others. Repentance involves changing one’s affections from earthly things to heavenly things. Repentance must be proved by work as an indication of a sincere repentance this is demonstrated in the life of forgiveness.

INSTANCES OF REPENTANCE IN THE BIBLE

REPENTANCE OF KING HEZEKIAH 2 CHRON 32; 26

The King of Israel Hezekiah fell sick and was to die because of his pride and unwillingness to show gratitude to God. His sickness was so severe. The prophet Isaiah son of Amos went to see him and said, “The Lord tells you that you are to put everything in order, because you will not recover. Get ready to die.” Finally, Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem humbled themselves and so the Lord did not punish the people until after Hezekiah’s death.

Repentance of the prodigal son (Luke 4:11-32), this is story that shows a son who repented of his act and had to come back to his father.

Repentance of Zaccheus-Luke 19:1-10. Zaccheus a rich man and a tax collector on encountering Jesus repented and had to make amendment of his past life.

REPENTANCE OF SAUL (Acts 22:6-16)

Saul was a persecutor of Christians, wherever the Christian gather, Saul was a terrorist, in order to protect the religion of the Jews he deemed it necessary to eliminate the Christians. However, he was fighting his Lord, but he never knew. On his way to Damascus to destroy the Christians, he encounters our Lord Jesus Christ who called him; Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me? This was the turning point of the great persecutor. He cried and raised a pertinent question; who are you, Lord? It was at this point that he received the light of the Holy Spirit and discovered he was in darkness and was blind. Repentance therefore is an exposition to the light of the Holy Spirit which dispels the darkness in our life. Saul who was a great persecutor now became a great preacher of the gospel.

IMPORTANCE OF REPENTANCE

1.      Repentance gives one the room for a better reflection of his or her life and a yearning for amendment.

2.      It gives one the privilege to reflect on God in love for humanity all through history.

3.      Repentance creates a disposition for self-criticism as a stepping for a better life in Christ.

4.      Repentance is an encounter with God’s divine light which dispels the darkness in our lives and make us see clearly what God has installed for us.

5.      Repentance helps one to understand how foolish one could be in moving away from God. /