Today I had my first face-to-face with one of my parish priests, the parochial vicar, who is most likely going to be my confessor upon my confirmation and entry into the Roman Catholic Church.
I know that this particular sacrament of the Catholic Church - confession and penance - stirs negative thoughts in many people's minds. Indeed, lapsed Catholics and many Protestants typically view it as being too much of just a guilt-trip that doesn't accomplish much in terms of actually getting someone to truly change his or her ways. And of course, as the priest told me, the sacrament must be taken as a means to receive God's grace and love. So the question before many Catholics, including reverts like myself, is, Does this really have to be mediated by a priest?
Ultimately, I think it's a matter of obedience to the Church and of perfect transparency before God. There must be many virtuous, God-fearing Christians who don't go to confession or receive the sacrament of penance, but I'd dare say that even such Christians would be better off - definitely not worse off - if they confess their sins regularly and perform penances likewise. And for anyone who wishes to become a good servant and follower of God, sooner or later he or she should greatly desire that all known sin in one's life - even the "secret sins" that only God is aware of - be confessed before the Church and done away with.
For the ultimate standard by which we will be judged by Christ is not how many people we "save" for Him, nor how many miracles we perform in His name, but simply how sinless we are before Him in His burning holiness. On this point, Catholics are greatly advantaged to be guided and protected by the sinless Blessed Mother - in her we see that yes, one can and should strive for a completely sin-free life, far removed from the desire or even the ability to offend God in everyday thoughts and actions. And yes, we should greatly desire Mary's purity and sanctity, even if it costs us everything, including even our own notions of devotion to God.
As for Protestants, that is my heart for my evangelical brethren: that they will see that the true aim of the Christian life in their everyday walk is to become sinless and perfect, not necessarily to make disciples and gain followers, which are only secondary aims. For only if we become sinless and perfect can we truly join the Virgin Mary and all the saints and angels in heaven in the unending worship of Almighty God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
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