The Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Penance is one of the most maligned of the seven gifts God gave his Church. It is the secret Sacrament, held behind closed doors where the words spoken are never released. But what is it, beyond the confession of sins? So often people fail to see that there is far more to this sacrament.

First off, the Sacrament of Penance is the little fire, the small flame next to purgatory's inferno. It cleanses not all the penealty of sin, but some, and the penitent steps forth from the confessional a little lighter. Purgatory is that last gate, the final hall which removes all impurities and confessions is its preperation. In fact, we might go so far as to call confession the Sacrament of the End Things. It involves a revelation of all sin, a purging of that sin, a purification, and an admitance into the friendship of God. Where as the End Things this encompasses all of ones existence, the Sacrament of Penance only reaches as far back as its last occurence, in essence.

The little fire of Penance is just as purifying as purgatory's, only on a smaller scale, little by little burning away the dross that clutters our souls, testing the metal beneath. Reconciliation is a taste of purgatory, a little example of the ultimate purifing force and ones acceptance of the Sacrament parallels ones acceptance of purgatory. If you frequent confession, it is likely you will endure purgatory; but if you hide from confession, going only when necessary (the precept for once a year) then it is likely you will avoid purgatory. Unfortunately, the only effective way to do that is to enter the unquenching fire.

I have come, in recent months, to gain a great appreciation for confession. It is not, as many people claim, a place of guilt, but rather a place to let the loose the guilt. Reconciliation is just that, the reconciling of man, not just to God, but to his fellow men. It is in confession that I loose my hold on sin and God looses sin's hold on me. The beautiful thing about this sacrament is that there is nothing, beyond one's self, that can hold a Catholic back from confession. No demands but contrition are placed upon the penitent and all the joys of heaven are waiting on just the other side.