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Our Lord Jesus Christ knew perfectly well that the human race has been weakened by original sin. As a result, even after receiving the grace of Baptism, we sin again. Knowing us so well, he wanted to leave us the sacrament of confession, so we could leave our sins behind us time and again, and start off anew. As the Psalmist says, “His mercies are new every morning.”
This was his command:
“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Jn 20:22-23
The saints know how important this is. Read on to discover what nine of these virtuous men and women thought of this great sacrament.
God “forgets the future”
The good God knows everything, even before you confess it to him, he already knows that you will sin again and, nevertheless, he forgives you. How great is the love of our God that leads him even to voluntarily forget the future in order to forgive us!
St. John Vianney
The beauty of a sinless soul after confession
If the poor world could see the beauty of the sinless soul, all sinners, all unbelievers would be instantly converted.
St. Pio of Pietrelcina
The importance of sincerity in confessing our sins
Never let yourselves be deceived by the devil by keeping silent about some sin in confession out of shame. I assure you, beloved young people, that my hand trembles as I write these lines at the mere thought that a great number of Christians are eternally lost because they have not sincerely declared their sins in confession.
St. John Bosco
The Church has the power to forgive all sins
Let us not listen to those who deny that the Church of God has the power to forgive all sins.
St. Augustine
God is willing to forgive all without exception
God makes no distinction; He promised mercy to all and granted His priests the authority to forgive without any exception.
St. Ambrose
Forgiveness comes by the grace of Christ
Just as the man baptized by the priest is enlightened by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, so he who in penance confesses his sins, receives through the priest forgiveness by virtue of the grace of Christ.
St. Athanasius
Confession erases the ugliness of sin
Confession and contrition are so beautiful and fragrant that they erase the ugliness and dissipate the stench of sin.
St. Francis de Sales
Pray before going to confession
Before going to confession, it is good to ask God for the good will to be holy.
St. Philip Neri
Confession heals and educates us
From confession we should derive two benefits: (1) we confess in order to be healed; (2) in order to be educated; our souls need continual education, like a little child.
St. Faustina Kowalska
And today we celebrate...