Brother Adam Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Okay, so the first time I went to confession, I wanted to turn right back around get in line and go again. Great experience, right? But now I'm starting to struggle with it more. You see, it ends up that I have to keep confessing the same couple of things over and over again. Now since becoming Catholic my struggle with one thing has decreased and another has increased. But it bothers me that I have to go back week after week confessing the same things. It must bother the priest deeply too. I'm doing everything I can think of to avoid these things and try over and over again. It has created in me a strong disgust for these sins. So I guess that's a plus. But I don't know. It's hard to explain. Just having to keep struggling with them. I mean, I should just be able to automatically say "no" to sin when temptation comes knocking, but for some reason....Grrrrrr....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sojourner Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I have that same problem, Bro. Adam. Sometimes it has served as a deterrent (I don't want to have to confess this sin [i]again[/i]). But it does keep before me the constant reminder that I am a sinner in need of grace. It's harder to rationalize sin away when I know I have to confess it. But it still smells of elderberries having to say the same things every time I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 How does this relate to your struggle with sin before becoming Catholic? Would you say that you are more aware of your sin now? Despite the struggling, does the sacrament help you avoid the sin compared to your struggle before the sacrament? In my experience, yeah, sometimes I'm in confession every week--sometimes it's a little more spaced out. It makes me aware of my sins, and it does decrease the amount of sinning I do. I suppose ignorance is bliss, but I'm not so sure that ignorance gains us grace with God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted September 16, 2004 Author Share Posted September 16, 2004 I was still aware that sin was sin, and was wrong, but did not try nearly as hard to avoid it. I knew I was saved no matter what. Not that I tried to just go out and sin. I really wasn't sorrowful for my sin on a regular basis. I'm not sure if the sacrament is helping me avoid sin or not. Maybe too early to tell at this point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Sounds about the same as my experience... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I once complained to the priest I was confessing the same sin over and over again, and he thanked me for not branching out. God is as pleased with your struggle as He is pleased with your success. You didn't get this attachment to a sin overnight, and it probably won't go away overnight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Ahhh... Now that you're Catholic, along with all the wonderful graces comes the "Catholic guilt". haha Actually, I know a few people who left the church because of this feeling of guilt. I suppose it's easier not to think about how your sins affect your spiritual life--but nobody said living a life in Christ was easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sojourner Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 [quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Sep 16 2004, 11:25 AM'] You didn't get this attachment to a sin overnight, and it probably won't go away overnight. [/quote] That's a truth I've been learning a lot lately. I find it's really hard to be patient with myself, and to look for the small victories. I may not win every time I'm faced with temptation, but by the grace of God sometimes I do ... and by His grace the times I lose will hopefully get to be few and far between until they're non-existent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I know where y'all are coming from. For years I was going to confession week after week -- ever since becoming Catholic, actually -- to confess a certain sin. And I just knew the priest was like, "Doesn't this kid ever learn?" But I quickly learned that it's not the case -- priests understand that many sins are like that. One priest even said that perhaps I might have to struggle with it for the rest of my life (I hope not!). In more recent years, however, through the grace of God, it's gotten to where often I can go a week or 2 without committing the sin. Even then, however, it does get embarrassing having to confess the same sin over and over again; times when I don't have to confess that sin are pretty rare, but I'm thankful when they do happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PedroX Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Bro Adam, Even if I'm embarrassed while standing in line (sometimes) or while talking to Christ in the form of the Priest (rarely) I always walk out of the confessional with a big smile on my face. My sins have been absolved!!! Several priests have told me that they really don't remember what was said in the confessional. Spiritual Direction is another matter, but it seems to apply to the confessional pretty well. peace... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seven77 Posted September 18, 2004 Share Posted September 18, 2004 [quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Sep 16 2004, 11:25 AM'] I once complained to the priest I was confessing the same sin over and over again, and he thanked me for not branching out. God is as pleased with your struggle as He is pleased with your success. You didn't get this attachment to a sin overnight, and it probably won't go away overnight. [/quote] that reminds me of something i heard from Scott Hahn---when he complained to the priest about committing and confessing the same sins over and over again. the priest responded, "what, you want new ones?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birgitta Noel Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Been there, done that, will prob do it again, nah, will definitely do it again. Confessing the same sins over and over is a reality of our fallen nature BA. And it teaches us humility--that we are nothing without the saving grace of Christ. Ahhhh, that soul shower fresh feeling, ya can't beat it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thy Geekdom Come Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 I'm not a convert (though I'm technically a revert), but I do know that it's very common for people to confess the same sins. Sometimes people improve in their sins with Confession and sin less. Other times, they sin just as much, or maybe a little less, but they grow greatly in humility, thankfulness for God's mercy, and appreciation of the sacrifice of Christ. Have the humility to consider yourself a repentant sinner and God will have the mercy to consider you an aspiring saint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader_4 Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Bro Adam i know exactly how u feel...thats why i love the sacrament is we can go to a sacrament to deal with these sins in a physical way that we can personally expereience. Before i was always meh..and was not as aware of my fallen nature. I finally have a greater realization of the sacrafice Christ did and even the Eucarist as i have realized my fallen nature and indeed how far apart i am from God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 My daughter is prepping for her first confession in Nov. They bring in a bunch of priests to handle all of the children (there's several hundred). I am terribly worried about it for her (we haven't discussed it yet, so she doesn't know about it yet-- she frets easily if she knows too far in advance...) I just worry that she will freak out at having to tell a strange man her sins... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now