Repentance or confession is a sacrament, withwhich the person confessing his sins to the priest through his forgiveness is allowed from the sins by the Lord Himself. The question of how to properly confess, what to say to the priest, many people are asked to join in the church life. Preliminary confession prepares the soul of the penitent to the Great Meal - the Sacrament of Communion.
The essence of the confession
The Sacrament of Penance is called the second fatherbaptism. In the first case, at Baptism, a person receives cleansing from the original sin of the forefathers Adam and Eve, and in the second the penitent is washed from his sins committed after the baptism. However, from the infirmity of their human nature, people continue to sin, and these sins separate them from God, standing between them an obstacle. They can not overcome this barrier by their own forces. But the Sacrament of Penance helps us to be saved and to gain that union with God that was found at the time of Baptism.
It is said in the Gospel of repentance that it isa necessary condition for the salvation of the soul. A person throughout life must continuously struggle with his sins. And, despite all the defeats and falls, he should not lose heart, despair and grumble, but always repent and continue to bear his life's cross, which the Lord Jesus Christ laid on him.
Recognizing Your Sins
In this matter the main thing is to learn that in the SacramentConfessions to a penitent man are forgiven all his sins, and the soul is freed from sinful bonds. In the ten commandments received by Moses from God, and in the nine Commandments of Bliss received from the Lord Jesus Christ, the entire moral and spiritual law of life is concluded.
Therefore, before confessing, it is necessaryturn to your conscience and remember all your sins from the very childhood to prepare a real confession. As it passes, not everyone knows and even rejects, but a truly Orthodox Christian, conquering his pride and false shame, begins to crucify himself spiritually, honestly and sincerely confess his spiritual imperfection. And here it is important to understand that unconfessed sins will be defined to eternal condemnation, and repentance means a victory over oneself.
What is real confession. How is this mystery going?
Before confessing to a priest,it is necessary to seriously prepare and realize the whole need for the purification of the soul from sins. To do this, it is necessary to reconcile with all the offenders and those who are offended, to refrain from gossip and condemnation, all sorts of indecent thoughts, viewing numerous entertainment programs and reading lightweight literature. It is better to devote free time to reading the Holy Scriptures and other spiritual literature. It is advisable to confess a little advance to the evening service, so that during the morning liturgy is no longer distracted by life and devote time to prayer preparation for Holy Communion. But already, as a last resort, you can confess in the morning (basically everyone does that).
For the first time, not everyone knows how to correctlyconfess what to say to the priest, etc. In this case, it is necessary to warn the priest about this, and he will direct everything to the right track. Confession primarily involves the ability to see and realize your sins, at the time of utterance to their priest, you should not justify yourself and shift the blame to another.
Children under 7 years old and all newly baptized on this dayCommunion without confession, you can not do this only to women who are in purification (when they have a period or after giving birth until the 40th day). The text of the confession can be written on a piece of paper, so as not to get off later and remember everything.
Order of confession
In the church, confession usually takes a lotpeople, and before approaching the priest, one must turn to people with a face and say aloud: "Forgive me, a sinner," and they will answer: "God will forgive, and we forgive." And already then it is necessary to go to the confessor. Approaching the anal (high stand for the book), having crossed himself and bowing to the belt, without kissing the Cross and the Gospel, having bowed his head, one can start confession.
Previously confessed sins should not be repeated, for,as the Church teaches, they have already said goodbye, but if they were repeated again, then they must be repent of again. Upon termination of the confession it is necessary to listen to words of the priest and permissive prayer. When he has finished - twice to cross himself, bow to the belt, kiss the Cross and the Gospel and then, again having crossed himself and bowing, accept the blessing of his father and go to his place.
What you should repent about
Summing up the topic "Confessions. How is this mystery going? ", It is necessary to get acquainted with the most widespread sins in our modern world.
Sins against God - pride, lack of faith ordisbelief, renunciation of God and the Church, negligent execution of the sign of the cross, not wearing the cross, violation of the commandments of God, mentioning the name of the Lord in vain, negligent execution of prayer rules, non-attendance of the church, prayer without diligence, conversations and walking in the temple during the service, belief in superstition , an appeal to psychics and fortunetellers, thoughts of suicide, and so on.
Sins against the neighbor - the grief of parents,robbery and extortion, avarice in charity, hardness of heart, slander, bribery, resentment, taunts and malicious jokes, irritation, anger, gossip, gossip, covetousness, scandals, hysteria, resentment, betrayal, betrayal, etc.
Sins against oneself are vanity,arrogance, anxiety, envy, vindictiveness, striving for earthly glory and honors, addiction to money, gluttony, smoking, drunkenness, gambling, masturbation, fornication, excessive attention to one's flesh, despondency, melancholy, sadness, etc.
God will forgive any sin, nothing is impossible for him, a man needs only to truly understand his sinful deeds and sincerely repent of them.
Participle
Confess usually toCommunicate, and for this you need to talk a few days, which means prayer and fasting, attending evening service and reading the house, except for evening and morning prayers, the canons: the Virgin, the Guardian Angel, Penitential, for Communion, and whenever possible, - Akathist to Jesus the Most Sweet. After midnight they no longer eat or drink, they start the sacrament on an empty stomach. After the adoption of the Sacrament of Communion, prayers should be read for Holy Communion.
Do not be afraid to go to confession.How is it going? About this exact information can be read in special brochures that are sold in each church, they are all described in great detail. And then the main thing is to tune in to this true and salutary cause, because the death of an Orthodox Christian should always be thought of so that she does not catch him unawares - without prayers of repentance and communion.
