Confession For Spiritual Direction

I have an ongoing debate with a friend about Confession.  It goes something like this:  "I'm going to confession, you wanna come with?" (strength in numbers).  "I don't need to go." "Huh?" "I haven't committed any sins." "Hah! What about...?" "No mortal sins!  I just confess my venial sins straight to God." etc.

I can kinda see her point.  For the most part we committed our mortal sins in our "wasted" youth.  I'm sure some priests would agree with the late Fulton Sheen that hearing our confessions now would be "like being stoned to death with popcorn".  I guess it takes a special kind of priest to sit through the confessions of people whose sins don't involve tragedy, chaos and breaking all 10 Commandments. 

People who are looking for a deeper relationship with God. 

People who want more help and direction in imitating Jesus and correcting their character defects. 

I've been lucky since I returned to the church.  I haven't yet been laughed out of the confessional.  Even when I haven't prepared very well, I can think of at least one thing that plagues me and that can be enough.  Resentment.  Impatience.  Entertaining distractions during Mass or personal prayer.  Foul language.  The list goes on.  There is always something to wrestle with.  Even if I just bring up one issue, whatever priest I am confessing to, whether he knows me or not, has been able to address that fault and suggest the steps to take to correct it.

I trust  in the seal of the confessional.  That my anxieties and failings aren't going to be gossipped about.  I trust that most priests have been trained to give appropriate guidance and spiritual direction.  I also know that they are imperfect men.  But in the Sacrament of Penance, as at Mass, they are an open channel to Jesus Christ.  To bestow grace and forgiveness.  Forgiveness we sometimes refuse to give ourselves.  In the confessional, the Holy Spirit should influence any advice the priest imparts.  It should always lead one to a closer walk with Jesus.  One of my resolutions was to go to Confession more often this year.  I've already started.  Won't you come along with me?

I Resolve, With The Help Of Your Grace...

We seem to have made it through Christmas by the skin of our teeth around here.  I actually had to give myself permission to let some of the things I wanted to do slide because there simply wasn't time, and I refused to let superficials interfere with our family and spiritual celebration.  I did get the lights up, the tree decorated (actually my son did that) and the Nativity Scene up (my son again).  Many people in our little mission parish were gone for the holiday.  It was strange to see our tiny church only half-full on Christmas Eve, when in past years there was standing room only. 

Now it's time to honor the tradition of New Year's resolutions.  I actually contemplated mine about a month ago.  There's really nothing new.  Some of last year's resolutions were successful, some need more work, and some are no longer important.  I want to finish my first book, get a couple of e-books out, and continue making my lifestyle more sustainable and less consumptive.  I want to share joy and fascination for learning with my homeschooled son.  I want to really get to know my soon-to-be-born grandson.  I want to play with my critters and have an awesome vegetable garden.  I want to get to sewing all those clothes I've been collecting fabric for - our wardrobe really needs replenishment.  I want to get to confession more and take the next step in growing spiritually.  I want to blog more regularly to share that spiritual growth and insight.  I want to work on me, yet think less about me and more about the big picture.  I want to let go and let God.

I Resolve for 2010...

I love the time between Christmas and New Years. For me it has always been a kind of quiet, contemplative time. A time to sit in front of the fire with a much anticipated new book. A time to reflect on the past year and reevaluate goals for the new one.

Now that the school supplies have been broken in and well used, it's a time to break open a crisp new calendar, planner and journal. The unmarked pages lie full of hope and promise. Perhaps a colorful new pen and some stickers and stamps with which to decorate the record of a life. I know it will be another year where the pages of the calendar turn too quickly, the jobs in the planner will never get all crossed off, and the journal may not be written in as often as I'd like. But just for these few nights, I will reflect, and plan, and look forward joyfully to a fresh start.

I will try to be more realistic with my goals, flexible with my plans, more disciplined in my work.



I will worry less and pray more.

I will smile until I feel like smiling.

I will try a little harder to see and serve Jesus, especially in those I don't like.

I will sacrifice some of my excess and even, sometimes, some of my necessities, so that someone else may have basic comforts of food, shelter,clothing or education.



I will try to remember to make the best of every situation I find myself in, and if possible, to have fun with it. Even if others are determined that I should not.

I will play music, and read books, and walk in the woods.

I will share all these things with my children.

I will try to leave my little corner of the world a better place.