“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves... the preaching of forgiveness without repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.

"Costly grace is the gospel that must be sought again and again, the gift that must be asked for, and the door at which a man must knock... It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life... It is costly because it cost God the life of His Son.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

Catholics confess their sins to a priest in the confessional.
Since God alone can forgive sin, Christ acts through the priest. Priests receive from Christ the power to forgive sins in His name (Matthew 16:18-20 and John 20:21-24). The priest is bound by a most serious obligation not to tell anyone what was said in the confessional.

The confessional is an enclosure located in the church. It has a partition with a small screen separating the seated priest from the kneeling person. The priest does not face the person and is not interested in knowing who the person is.

The kneeling person says, “Bless me father for I have sinned.”
Then they tell how long since their last confession and what they did and the number of times — omitting unnecessary details. The person confessing can ask for direction or the priest may offer Christ-like advice.

The priest does not criticize or condemn. He understands that all of us are sinners and that often a long struggle is needed to overcome a sinful habit. Your sins will not shock him. He has heard most of them before.

The priest asks the person to say an Act of Contrition and assigns some prayers.
He then says words to the effect, “In the name of God the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, I absolve you of your sins. Go in the peace of Christ.”

Telling your darkest secrets is not easy. We feel very vulnerable. However, confession has a tremendous benefit; we look deep within ourselves and make needed changes. We become more caring and loving persons. Self-forgiveness is made much easier.

Confession is an opportunity for us to renounce sin and to remove the obstacles to following Christ. For many it feels like a great weight has been taken off their shoulders.

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