Pastoral reflections concerning confession
during the last days of Lent

As we said last month, one of the essential aspects of the Lenten journey is the Sacrament of Penance. This is the season of repentance and therefore every Orthodox Christian prepares to make a good confession during these days. I’m addressing this again because so many of us tend to procrastinate, not realizing the tremendous pressure this puts on the parish priest during the busiest time of the year.

So…once again: Please make every effort to come to confession during the 40 days of Lent which end on April 26, the eve of Lazarus Saturday. Holy Week is reserved only for emergencies, catechumens and students returning home for Pascha.

Now, some practical considerations. When I do come during these days, what should I say? What should I not say? When is the best time to come?

First of all, a good rule of thumb is to confess your own sins without elaborate explanations or rationalizations. Another very important consideration is if there is a need to discuss anything at length, it would be better to schedule a time when there is not a queue of penitents. We all need that venue at certain times, but it’s better to request a confession by appointment which is convenient both for you and the priest. These few weeks a re definitely not the time to ruminate on various problems of the past week or to have a “spiritual chat.”

I can’t stress enough how important it is to actually set aside time to prepare for this Sacred Mystery. Actually, Great Lent itself should be a huge part of this process. Personally I find it helpful to first look at a printed “examination of conscience” in order to prepare myself for this Holy Sacrament. I highly recommend two booklets: Preparing for Confession by L. Joseph Letendre and If We Confess Our Sins by Fr. Thomas Hopko. They are both available in the parish bookstore. I can provide you a with an electronic copy of the latter if you email me at svyatnikolai@yahoo.com.

However, just reading something from someone else’s list is not the best alternative. Making your own list as a reminder can be a very helpful tool, ever mindful that true repentance comes from the depth of one’s heart and said in one’s own words.