The Father's Embrace

"There was a man who had two sons; the younger of them said to his father,'Father, give me the share of property that falls to me,'

You will no doubt recognize the opening lines of one of the best known of the parables, that of the Prodigal Son. It goes on to describe the departure from his father's house, the squandering of all his resources in a life of self satisfaction, the dark days of exile and hunger, but even more of lost dignity, shame and humiliation and then the longing for his own home, the courage to return, the father's welcome.

The father had certainly not forgotten his son, indeed his love and affection for him was unchanged. So he had always waited for him, and now he embraces him and gives orders for a great feast to celebrate the return of him who" was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found."

There is a prodigal in all of us: we stray from the father, sometimes find ourselves sinking deeper and deeper, feeling hopeless and helpless. All we have to do is to decide to return like the son in the parable, and like the father in the parable, God looks out for the return of his child, embraces him when he arrives and orders the banquet. The parable is a story of the mercy of God, who is always willing to forgive.

Confession

Each time we receive the Sacrament of reconciliation we are embraced by God who forgives us no matter what we have done. If we are sorry and genuinely want to begin again and try to do better we can be sure of God's embrace. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is also known as confession or the Sacrament of penance. It is a gift of God to us. It is the means He gives us to return to Him each time we stray.

There are several methods for confessing our sins. We can confess to a priest in a confessional box. We can also confess by a face-to-face meeting. The power to forgive sins belongs only to God, but He uses a priest as a tool. Confession can be difficult and embarrassing sometimes but it is important to remember that the priest cannot tell anyone your confession. This rule is recognized in the law and in church. The priest is obligated to forget sins they hear from confessions.

If you feel anxious about going to confession, just remember

• You won't say anything the priest never heard before.
• You are talking to God through the priest.
• God loves you, forgives you and embraces you
• You'll feel at peace afterwards.

Questions & Answers

1. Why is the sacrament known by different names?

It is called the sacrament of confession as confessing or telling your sins to a priest is an important part of the sacrament. Since it is an outward sign of a person's effort to change or conversion it is called the sacrament of penance. The name sacrament of reconciliation is given to it because it helps the peninent "come back together" with God and the community.

2. Why do we confess our sins to a priest?

The ministry of reconciliation was given by Jesus to the apostles; as successors of the apostles priests continue to act in this ministry as official representatives of God and the Christian community.

3. What are the actions associated with the sacrament of reconciliation?

The sacrament consists of three actions on the penitent's part: contrition (sorrow), confession (telling sins to the priest), and penance (satisfaction). The sacrament also consists of one action on the part of the priest: absolution. The words of absolution are God's gift to sinners, assuring them of forgivness and reconciliation with God and the church.

4. How often should a Catholic go to confession?

A Catholic should confess any grave sin as defined by the Ten Commandments at least once a year. Frequent celebration of the sacrament is a useful remedy for less serious sins. It is up to the individual how often they receive the sacrament, but it is important to remember that it is helpful in our spiritual and moral growth.

5. Can a priest repeat the contents of a confession?

The priest can never reveal the contents of a private confession. This is known in the church as the "seal of confession."