Hebrews 3:1, 4:14, and 6:20 and other Bible passages explain that since Jesus' death, He has become our high priest. As a result, I do not confess to a human being, but I freely confess to my high priest, Jesus, knowing that He forgives every sin. I also know that I do not have to do anything to atone for those sins because He already did, fully and finally.

I love Confession; having a consistent confessor this past year has been such a privilege. Other than the Eucharist, this Sacrament has helped me come to know and love Christ so much more; it's amazing how wonderful He is once you are humble enough to just let Him love you!

I think that many people are turned off by the idea of confession "to" a priest; I like to try and describe the ministry of the Sacrament as confessing "with" a priest. Christ is ministering the Sacrament of His forgiveness ("sacrament" coming from the Latin word for "oath" or "promise") through the priest; Christ is the one doing the forgiving, but through the priest, as Christ ministered His healing, forgiveness, exorcism, etc. though His appointed followers in the Gospel. None of those followers would claim, "I healed you;" they always admitted that it was Christ who healed, drove out demons, etc. *through* them. The priest is simply carrying on the same ministry that the Apostles did: forgiving sins in the name of Jesus Christ, such forgiveness only made possible by the High Priest whom the priests of the Church serve.

We see this most clearly in the prayer of absolution itself:
"God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son, has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of the church, may God grant you pardon and peace. And I absolve you of your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

I have trouble with the notion of not being taught a., to confess all to Christ first and foremost, and b., assuming a human man with his own set of sins can simply tell me specific things to do that will take the place of bringing myself before Christ.  Liturgical things, supposedly to wash away whatever it is we've done.  Christ did entrust forgiveness to his apostles, but, that was through complete immersion of baptism.  Why else would he say "Go and do likewise.?  And the notion that all Christians, those state an attempt at following Christ, can go to any church in any town and obtain communion in fellowship with the body of Christ there, yet cannot do that in the Catholic church, confuses me.  I hear it each month at my church..  "All are welcome, all are loved by Christ."  And the Pauline texts that so bastardized going without marriage sure has worked well for those looking to abuse children, hasn't it?  Since we know Paul never ministered with Christ, and literally his texts have been taken out of context to make churches more demanding of pretexts that aren't workable.  I remember being in the Philippines in the 70's, and all these women living in mud floor huts had upwards of 15 kids, because the priest told them they'd go to hell if they used birth control.  And then I remember walking past his residence, and it was beautiful, had running water, and he had no children to worry about feeding.  Something very array  there.  Very strange, to decide on your own how families should work.

@ensgam - Quit spamming us. Write in English. This is just a random list in Arabic!