Only God Can Forgive Sins - Is Confession Effective or are We Just Kidding Ourselves?

Gospel	Mark 2:1-12

The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’

I think that besides the Real Presence in the Eucharist that the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance or Confession, whichever you choose to call it, distinguishes Catholics from all of the other denominations.  We Catholics have a direct access point to the mercy of God.  Like it or not, no other denomination has this facility whereby we receive the assurance that our sins against God, His Church, and man are forgiven.  Whoa! Hold on there cowboy - we confess to a priest and HE forgives sins - that dear sir is blasphemy!  Only God can forgive sins!  

Calm down and take a chill pill if you have to.  You are one-hundred percent correct when you say "only God can forgive sins." I agree with you. We may strike our brother a sharp blow in the face and thus offend him, but by doing so we break the commandments and offend God as well.  

Jesus knew that His followers would not be able to live anything remotely like a sinless life.  He knew all too well that we would fail because it was built into us so He gave the Apostles the power to forgive sin.  He said, "Whatever you loose on earth is loosened in heaven and whatever you hold bound on earth is bound in heaven."  With these words, he instituted the Sacrament of Confession.  But, surely God will forgive sins if we but ask Him without some fancy ceremony and words of an ordinary human being.  Well, God is not bound by what we think he should be bound by.  He makes the rules and His rules are always wise.  He knows how that we need to confess our sins to one another and has chosen our priest and this sacrament as the way we are to obtain forgiveness.  

But you said that only God can forgive sins and you are having us speak to a mere man, what gives?   The priest is acting Persona Christi, and when you confess, you are actually confessing not to a priest but to Christ Himself through your priest and you receive the forgiveness of sins from Jesus and His Church for every sin we commit hurts the bond that holds us to Jesus and to the Church. 

Confession is a forgotten sacrament.  When I was a boy, Saturday afternoon would find many Catholics in church standing in line waiting to confess.  Today, not so much.  One of two things is happening here.  First, perhaps we are not sinning anymore.  Now, do you really think that this is likely?  Or second, we are not recognizing the sins we commit and sin has a hold in our lives that we have chosen to blind ourselves to.  Which do you think it is?  I believe it is the later.  We have blinded ourselves and have convinced ourselves that sin is something other people do and remember me and the Lord, well we talk every night and I ask for His forgiveness.  It is fine to ask for the forgiveness of the Lord in your daily prayer but we must remember that Jesus wants us to hold ourselves accountable and to access His forgiveness through the Sacrament of confession.  Think about it.  Make it a point to go this weekend.