Originally posted on September 11, 2013
Recently, a very astute and learned fellow and I discussed the bible, and I mentioned that I felt confession to a priest was one thing I think the Catholic church got right (along with some sacraments and rituals), but he countered with the popular protestant belief that when Christ died the veil was torn, making priests no longer a necessary bridge between God and man. That simply having the concept of Jesus in one’s heart and mind was enough to make one holy in God’s eyes. Current Christians, protestants and Catholics alike, have adopted the notion that there are two tiers: God and man. Priests have been relegated to ceremonial status, or are respected as teachers; but are not really considered to be any more holy than any other man.
However, there is a hierarchy of holiness, if you will, that does exist. As one transcends the ladder unto Heaven where God resides, he becomes more holy. As he becomes more holy, he obtains more Godliness. The highest man can go would be to be like Jesus, which is the goal of all good Christians. As one obtains more Godliness he also obtains more power, by the grace of God, in the forms of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence. The primary purpose of a priest’s life is to serve the LORD. But priests also have the ability to minister to man on God’s behalf. Jesus gave priests the power in God’s name to go forth and forgive sins, exemplified at the last supper, especially in John 20:21-23:
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
So for man to think that it is enough to think he is sorry for a sin, or to feel sorry for a sin, and that Jesus’ perfect death erases any need for a priest, is not scriptural and is not serving him fully; he is not going to reap the reward that true repentance and confession and forgiveness from a priest would allow.
I found a Catholic commentary on this subject and wanted to share it as it describes the benefits of confessing to a priest:
“The Advantages [of Confessing to a Priest]~
Is the Catholic who confesses his sins to a priest any better off than the non-Catholic who confesses directly to God? Yes.
First, he seeks forgiveness the way Christ intended.
Second, by confessing to a priest, the Catholic learns a lesson in humility, which is avoided when one confesses only through private prayer.
Third, the Catholic receives sacramental graces the non-Catholic doesn’t get; through the sacrament of penance, sins are forgiven and graces are obtained.
Fourth, the Catholic is assured that his sins are forgiven; he does not have to rely on a subjective “feeling.”
Lastly, the Catholic can also obtain sound advice on avoiding sin in the future.
During his lifetime Christ sent out his followers to do his work. Just before he left this world, he gave the apostles special authority [The last supper washing of feet of the apostles and eating of the body and blood of Christ illustrates the ceremony of the consecration of priests in the Old Testament Torah] commissioning them to make God’s forgiveness present to all people, and the whole Christian world accepted this, until just a few centuries ago. If there is an “invention” here, it is not the sacrament of penance, but the notion that the sacramental forgiveness of sins is not to be found in the Bible or in early Christian history.” ~Taken from http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-forgiveness-of-sins
I’d like to add that Jesus himself stated he did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. He made a new covenant, yes, but he replaced the need for daily animal sacrifice, and instead of priests taking on the people’s iniquity, he took it on himself. The sacraments set forth by Moses were not abrogated by these things.
~Mary
~Song of Mary~ 