Called to Continual Repentance & Thanksgiving
Maxim #12: Go to confession and communion regularly.
Often I am approached by members of our parish who have recently attended our weekend mass in Spanish who are confused by the small number of those who receive communion at this celebration of the liturgy. They are usually blown away by the high level of prayer and energy that they have experienced, but not quite sure what to think about the number of those coming forward at communion simply to receive a blessing. Sometimes the assumption is made that the large number who are not receiving communion are not Catholic, but this is far from the case. The reason that most do not receive communion, I often explain, is that they have not had the opportunity to receive the sacrament of confession.
When I first began ministry within our diocesan hispanic community I remember working very hard in my preaching to convince those attending mass that they were worthy to come forward and receive communion and not to worry about confession unless they had committed a serious sin. I had been formed in a culture where frequent communion was encouraged and where it was only a small minority of those attending mass each week who did not receive communion.
The more time I have spent with Catholics who were formed by a different culture, the more I believe that this is an area where our culture could stand to be taught something valuable that we have forgotten. While it is certainly valuable for our spiritual growth to receive communion frequently, it is just as valuable to attend confession regularly. As I reflect upon Fr. Thomas Hopko’s 12th Maxim for Christian Living, it strikes me that it was likely intentional on his part to put the two of these sacraments together as the sacrament of confession cleanses our bodies and prepares us to be tabernacles where Christ can dwell. Is this not exactly what we practice when preparing children for first communion? First we prepare them for their first reconciliation, which is followed by their first reception of the Eucharist.
So why is it that in the United States we have moved further and further away from the frequent practice of confession? I can think of several reasons that may have contributed. First and foremost is our culture. We live in a culture that values instant gratification. We like to purchase things with credit, rather than spending the time and effort to save until we can afford expensive items. As students we would rather sit down the night before a paper is due, write one draft and turn it in the next day, rather than to read and think about the subject matter, take notes and spend the time writing several drafts in order to refine our work. We also live in a culture of relativism, one that believes that each person creates his own moral code, relative to his own beliefs and circumstances. In a culture ruled by relativism, what’s wrong for you may be right for me and if that’s the case I have no need for repentance. It also seems fair to say that for many of us, going to this sacrament brings to the surface memories and feelings from when we were small children and were systematically brought to the Church by our teachers (many of them religious sisters) and forced to go to confession by reading off a laundry list of sins and to receive as a penance a list of rote prayers to recite. I may be wrong about this, but I suspect that many adults still approach this sacrament as if they were eight years old, rather than as some one who is in their 40′s, 50′s or older.
I am a firm believer that one way the Church in the United States can deepen its celebration of the Eucharist and strengthen our communion to one another is a return to more frequent confession. If we were to take our “less serious” sins more seriously, we might find out that even our small sins can cause some major damage in our life. Here is a short list of the sins I have heard described as “less serious” that I would argue cause serious damage every day in our Church and in our homes: lying, gossip, detraction, impure thoughts, impatience, being unkind, using bad language, failing to help those in need & rudeness. These sins never fail to cause serious damage to our spouses, children, parents, neighbors and coworkers. When we come together each week to celebrate the Eucharist we come forward to express our belief in Christ’s presence among us but also with a desire for communion with one another. Seeking healing from the damage done to our human relationships by sin before receiving communion can only strengthen our celebration and make our worship more authentic as we can be truly thankful for God’s forgiveness and healing.
How often do you receive the sacrament of reconciliation? How often do you receive communion? How do these sacraments help you in strengthening your relationship with God and others?
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