BLESS ME FATHER FOR I HAVE ....

A FRIEND'S CONFESSION:

Present Day. 

Thomas had entered the confessional booth many times, but this time was different. Since Pope Leo had declared that once a sin was forgiven by the Church, it was unnecessary to repeat the same offenses at each reconciliation session. The Pope insisted Jesus forgave forever whatever venial or mortal sin transpired and the issue was forever settled. He instructed our guilt or regret over past sins was not a new sin. I re wound the U Tube presentation to hear again this incredible news. 

Thomas thought aloud, "damn, this is confusing". 

A Long Time Ago.

From boyhood days, he always had an almost automatic list of sins to relate at confession time. Lustful thoughts, thievery, cursing, coveting a neighbor or friends possessions, missing Mass, taking the Lord's name in vain, and so forth. Father John would listen, offer advice, forgive the sins and dispense a list of prayers as penance. Easy - peasy, and Thomas instantly realized he was clear for Sunday's holy communion and another week free of guilt for his past sins. 

Thomas was a Catholic from the fifties and from his earliest days embraced the old ways of the church. The Latin Mass, the incense, the jingling bells, the often unharmonious chanting and all the old practices before the Vatican reforms. As an altar boy, he embraced the ceremonies and secretive Latin dialogue as a rock solid and ancient way of Catholicism that was superior to all the protestant religions. At times he felt he was a junior priest executing all his altar boy duties in rites that were mysterious and secret to many parishioners. It all confirmed his conviction that his religion was the true and purest form of Christianity. He was even persuaded by his parish priest and Sister Superior that he had a vocation to become a priest. This was a heavy and serious consideration for a twelve year old!

However, this all changed with the Vatican reforms and his own evolution from being a boy to becoming a young man. He was angry and disappointed with the changes. He stopped being a practicing Catholic for a long time. Like many others, he decided that his religion would become a very personal affair and he would communicate directly with God in prayer and meditations. 

Then, after decades, he realized that many of the changes within the church were for the best. He also missed the social piece of being part of something more significant than his one on one relationship with God. He thought it was good the language of the Mass was changed to the local speech of the congregation. He agreed that many aspects of the mysticism and ceremony be simplified for all to understand. He liked the priest facing the parishioners and spending more effort and time in deciphering the Bible. He also appreciated priestly homilies that were down to earth talks linking the need for religious faith and practices in our daily lives. 

However, Thomas still had questions. 

Should he now breeze into confession and declare, " Bless me father, I'm good, no NEW sins to report in the last eighty years".