Confessions

Hello world-wide-web,
Heavenly Father,
     Thank you. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
As I'm waiting in line to go confession, I'm reflecting on this great sacrament Catholics have in our religion. My Protestant brothers and sisters don't understand the need to tell someone their sins. They are correct when they say you can go to your room and tell God what your sins are, but for me that's almost too easy. I almost feel like I can get away with everything and anything that way, because, really who am I accountable to? Yes, myself, and most certainly God, but I prefer to confess to someone with skin. Besides, how often would I actually go to my room and attest to my wrongdoings? For me, the priest is not God, but he represents Jesus on Earth. And even for all the scandals we as Catholics have suffered for the small number of pedophile priests - and No, I am NOT by ANY means saying the small number makes the behavior excusable - Hell no! -  I do believe my priest is a good man, who upholds our faith and the sanctity of all the sacraments, including confession. I fully have faith in God that this man of the cloth has come to do God's and Christ's bidding.
As I'm thinking these thoughts, and writing them down, I return to reflecting on what I'll acknowledge in the confessional. Once I enter the room, I'll have the option to sit in front of the priest, or I may kneel at a screen provided for privacy. My personal thought on the face-to-face or sitting with the priest, is this, "If I had the audacity to sin, then I should have the audacity to face the sin with the priest." I go face-to-face.
My confession will start with the prayer, "Forgive me father, for I have sinned. It's been (insert time) since my last confession."
The priest may read a passage from scripture.
Then I tell him my personal offenses - use your imagination - (you didn't actually think I was going to tell you, did you? ;) ). These are violations I have thought of, prayed over, and meditated on long before I stood in line at the confessional. I am truly sorry for the things I've done, and for not stepping up the plate and doing good when it needed to be done, and that's what makes telling the priest my faults so wonderful! It's time to release all the guilt that goes with sinning.
I will then say an Act of Contrition:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because I have offended you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
As I listen to the absolution, the sacramental forgiveness of the Church through the ordained priest, the priest and I will make the sign of the cross. If the priest closes by saying, "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good," I'll answer, "For His mercy endures forever."
At that powerful moment when I am forgiven and cleansed of my sins - I am humbled. I am forgiven - again!
I will leave the confessional, kneel in a pew, thank God for forgiving me, and do my penance. Then I walk out of the church, blissfully aware that I am a Child of God. :)
God bless you, everyone!
*Some of the information shared in this blog was taken from the website: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/confession.php if you'd like to know more about confession, please feel free to visit this website.
"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa