Are we All Sinners?

Do you remember what Adam did after he eat the forbidden fruit and God called to him saying, “Adam where are you?” He hid. He was ashamed of his sinfulness and because of his pride did not want to face God. Are we not the same? Do we not hide from God too? Why is it that so few participate in the Holy Sacrament of Confession? Is it because we are hiding from God? Are we afraid to acknowledge our sinful condition? After all, we ALL are sinners.

When we face judgment at the time of our death, who will be our judge? Will it be sufficient for us to have made our confession to others? Or, will it be sufficient to have confessed privately by ourselves with God? The Church teaches, based on Holy Scripture, that is is only by God that we will be judged. No human being can be our judge. It is only God who can give us forgiveness for our sinfulness. Christ empowered to the Apostles through the Holy Spirit to serve as the means to absolve us of our sins, just like in Baptism. This same power was passed on through Ordination of the priests of the Church. A Priest invokes the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confession for the absolution of all our sins. This is why its so important for us to arrange for our Confession by a priest. We need to have the courage to take the time to go into the Church, to stand in front of the icon of Christ, and make our confession to God with a priest as our witness. Then, if we have given a sincere confession, he will lift his stole and place it on our head and read the prayer of absolution and the Holy Spirit will cleanse us. This is the proper way to cleanse ourselves of our sinfulness.

Don’t be like Adam and hide from God and avoid this most important sacrament of the Church. It is only given to us as a gift of mercy for our benefit. It is available to you because of the unconditional Love that God has for you.
Cathedral Webpage on Confession

Side Note:
There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her brother in another part of the country. "Is there anything breakable in here?" asked the postal clerk."Only the Ten Commandments." answered the lady.