How Often? A Different Question.

     Yesterday in the Gospel Peter asked: "How often do I need to forgive my sister or brother?"

     Picking up on that same question, but with a different approach, I would like to address a question that I am occasionally asked in the Sacrament of Reconciliation - "Father, how often do I need to go to confession?"  Every once in awhile someone asks that question.  The reasons for the uncertainty are many and varied and have grown over the last forty years or so.  I may address them at another time.  But for now, the question is "How often do I need to seek the Lord's forgiveness and that of the community?"

     I usually tell people that we need to confess when we NEED to confess, when we have done something serious (mortal sin) that breaks our relationship with God.  If there is a conscious decision to break the Law of Love and threaten my relationship with Christ, nothing should stop my desire for healing and restoration, forgiveness and reconciliation.  Before I can approach the table of the Lord and be whole in the community of Faith, I need to confess.

     We also need to confess when we "need" to confess, when we feel called to look at and evaluate our lives in relationship to the love that Christ has for us which calls us to holiness.   We "take stock", reflect in prayer and see how we can improve in the way we live.  This self evaluation (our examination of conscience) gives us the imperfections and sin that needs to be placed before the Lord for healing and to be dealt with through grace.   That evaluation will determine what best suits you with the question "How often?" - yearly quarterly, monthly, weekly.

     Lent is a season of Grace and Reconciliation.  It is a time of reflection and penance.  Lent is a time of growth and of responding to our Call to Holiness.   Use the season well.   And if your heart prompts you to ask the question "Should I go?", then the answer is probably yes.  See you there.