HOW TO MAKE A GOD CONFESSION

Sacramental confession is no formality. It is a very important personal act in our spiritual life, a decisive stage in the long process of moral conversion. It is the key to peace of mind and improvement. But, in order to obtain these benefits, we must be clear about some fundamental truths and apply them to our personal situation.

FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS

1. God loves us immensely and wants our eternal happiness.

2. We can enjoy this eternal happiness only if we use our freedom to live according to His will.

3. Any refusals to behave according to God's will is a SIN, the gravity of which depends on.

· the action that we do or omit,

· our degree of awareness, out intention and freedom, and

· the circumstances.

4. As a refusal to respond to God's love, sin is an act of ingratitude, pride and rebellion against Him.

5. Whenever we sin we turn away from God, and we give ourselves to other creatures the attention and love that should be directed to Him.

6. In doing so we upset the order established by the Creator.

7. In His Divine love, God is always willing to forgive us. He actually never ceases to call us back to Him and to proper behavior.

8. In order to enjoy God's forgiveness we must respond to His invitation to:

· stop sinning

· abandon situation of sin, and

· return to Him with contrite heart.

9. we must also seek His forgiveness through the ministry of the Church, according to Jesus' mind when He gave the Apostles the power to forgive sins (See Jn 20:22ff).

10. The reception of God's forgiveness through the sacrament of Penance brings about in a real spiritual resurrection: we rise again to a new life of grace. Through this sacrament we are reconciled with God, with the Church, with our neighbor and with ourselves.