It's true, in general our sins are always the same, but we clean our house, our room, at least every week, although the dirt is always the same.
Confession is necessary only in the case of grave sin. But it is very useful to go to confession regularly to cultivate cleanliness and beauty of soul, and to mature little by little in life.
Pope Benedict XVI
6 brave one(s) among us:
Love this analogy! For all his intelligence B16 really knows how to make us small ones down here understand!
I never heard that confession was only necessary in the case of a grave sin. Is that true? I guess so if it's coming from the Pope.
Manny - the confession requirements of the Church are to a) confess your sins at least once a year; and b) confess any mortal sins before receiving the Eucharist. You can receive the Eucharist with venial sins on your soul, but to do so while in the state of mortal sin is to commit a sacrilege.
I wish people would understand that there is no requirement to go up for communion at every Mass, and that there is no shame in (and it is nobody's business to know why someone is) staying in the pew during that time. Priests should mention these things in their sermons more often.
And oh, how I love confession.
"But it is very useful to go to confession regularly to cultivate cleanliness and beauty of soul, and to mature little by little in life."
Habits are important -- Good habits especially.
Daily Mass (ie communion), adoration, frequent confession are the means the Church and Christ have gifted us to move fwd in the Way.
Speaking only for myself, the effort at nightly examen and prayer for the BVM to help me have good confessions AND frequent (for me every two weeks) confession has helped me a great deal.
Oh, and for clarity, I should add that one need not confess venial sins, but mortal ones must be confessed (it is good also to confess some habitual venial sins or ones that particulary bother you, as this helps to conquer these faults). Making a confession but intentionally leaving out a mortal sin that has been committed renders that confession invalid and is also a sacrilege. Including all venial sins, however, could make for extremely long and unnecessarily detailed confessions, thereby possibly denying others behind you in line the chance to make their own confessions if time is limited. Fr. Zuhlsdorf writes about the importance of confession and gives his 20 tips to making a good one here; http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/04/the-list-again-fr-zs-20-tips-for-making-a-good-confession-and-fr-z-rants/
Also, I'd like to add that if you don't want to take Communion, you can always still go up for a blessing. I've done that before ...
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