Confess Your Sins to the Priest!

1^st Sunday of Lent - 01 March 2020 
English Mass at Bruder Klaus

Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7

Rom 5:12-19

Mt 4:1-11

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Repentance from sin is something we clearly associate with the observance of the season of Lent in preparation for Easter. The Ash Wednesday admonition, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel!” is just that: a call to repentance. We must be clear in our own minds and hearts, however, that sin is one thing, temptation is another and human weakness something else entirely. The word “temptation” seems to be at the center of much confusion. Odd as it may seem, I get the impression that the word “temptation” in contemporary usage has been neutralized or, if you can say such a thing, almost sanitized. Despite what comes across on TV, temptation is not entertainment; it cannot be a good or indifferent thing, even if in the strict sense we are not obliged to confess being tempted. Our first reading from the Book of Genesis recounts the temptation by the serpent and the fall in the garden of Adam and Eve. Our Gospel from Matthew tells of Jesus being tempted by Satan in the desert and winning by His whole-hearted obedience to the will of God the Father.

From our Catholic upbringing, we make the distinction between sin and temptation. We understand that a temptation comes from outside us and can only lead to sin by our consent. Even our fallen nature, our proneness to sin, is not sin itself but classes us as fragile and in need of God’s gracious assistance. We need His strength to resist those temptations that come from the devil and the world. Sin which involves giving in to temptation is something bad; it falls on our account, because with a greater or lesser measure of freedom, we are effectively choosing to sin. That sin may be a thought, or a word, either an act or an omission. It may or may not be a grave matter; sins can be mortal or they can be venial.

Exposing ourselves to occasions of sin or seeking out temptation is completely different from being tempted; if you seek out temptation or welcome it; you are indeed stepping over the line and sinning. Sin and temptation are two different things; by the grace of God we can resist, we can win out over temptation, as did Jesus. By the grace of God, sin is not an inevitability in our lives. Holding to these distinctions can bring us peace of mind and conscience. Clear and distinct Catholic ideas are something wonderful and something that can set us free to love and live for God.

The Catholic Encyclopedia teaches: “Christ by His death redeemed mankind from sin and its bondage. In baptism, the guilt of original sin is wiped out and the soul is cleansed and justified again by the infusion of sanctifying grace. But freedom from concupiscence is not restored to man, any more than immortality; abundant grace, however, is given him, by which he may obtain the victory over rebellious sense and deserve life everlasting.”

We suffer from concupiscence, and yes, spiritual combat is our lot in this life. We can and really must identify with Jesus, in His forty-day struggle in the desert. Passivity, going with the flow, is not an option for us as Catholics. Love of God and love of neighbor demands of us our very best.

We heard in St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans today:

“For if by the transgression of the one, the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many… just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so, through one righteous act, acquittal and life came to all… through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous.”

The obedience of Jesus restores lost innocence to us, who are the descendants of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve found their downfall in the luxurious Garden of Eden and Jesus, the Son of Man, claimed His victory over Satan in the barren desert. From the passage from Matthew’s Gospel, we can list three temptations of Jesus: 1. the temptation to seek consolation in bread (in satisfying physical hunger albeit for the wrong reason), 2. the temptation to test God (cast yourself down from here, said the devil), and 3. the temptation to trade  God for the passing splendors of this world, pleasures or joys seemingly to be had in exchange for worshiping Satan (Here, incidentally, we find out what is wrong with sorcery or black magic). Adam and Eve were not starved like Jesus by 40 days of fasting, but rather were quite comfortable in the Garden. In order to taste forbidden fruit, our first parents abandoned confidence in their loving Maker to provide for them and their needs. They took the serpent’s word over God’s; they tested God. On the serpent’s word, they challenged God’s word to them; they chose the serpent over God.

Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Different from us, both the first Adam in the Garden of Eden and the new Adam, Jesus in the desert, were sinless. Satan, though in different ways, tempted both Adams. Jesus, in His obedience, did not fall, as did the first Adam. The new Adam won for us life and grace.

Maybe we are not big sinners, but maybe we are.  Regardless of our virtue big or small, we are certainly not sinless; we have things to confess and for which we must seek forgiveness. Many people have a tough time examining their conscience and identifying sin or failings in their lives. Others have pride and shame issues that keep them away from sacramental confession. They find it humbling or uncomfortable to confess to the priest.

Regardless of whether it has been a long or a short time since your last confession, plan on making your confession now before Easter. Most Sundays the priest here hears confessions for a half hour before Mass. When you go, start by telling Father how long it has been since your last worthy confession. List your mortal sins, such as the times you have purposely missed Sunday Mass, do so as carefully, as simply and directly as you can. Talk briefly to the priest about your major struggles or failings, especially your lack of charity, your heartlessness toward your spouse, children or parents, neighbors or coworkers. Go through the 10 Commandments in examining your conscience, as well as the 5 Precepts of the Church. How do you measure up in terms of the 2 greatest Commandments of love of God and neighbor?

Why? Out of obedience to the God Who loves us without reserve! The devil would have us believe, as he succeeded with Adam and Eve, that we know better or can presume to sort through God’s law and judge things at our own discretion. The simple message of this Sunday is that if we so presume then like Adam and Eve we are lost. We have turned our backs on Him, the Father Who loves us and spared not His only Son Jesus, that we might have life and have it more abundantly.   

Praised be Jesus Christ!

PROPERANTES ADVENTUM DIEI DEI