Any worries before making confessions?

Before, everytime I went to confession, I felt so nervous while waiting for my turn in line. I was worrying about what the priest might say. But then some of my friends told me that they experienced the same, which encouraged me to confess without worry. Accepting the fact that I am a sinner who needs God’s forgiveness is the key. 

— Suzette Ebacuado

My fear before going to confession is that I may not be able to hear and understand the priest’s instructions for my penance. To overcome those fears, I pray and ask the Lord to give me a listening ear and mind to understand what is asked of me to do for my penance.  — Joy Hidalgo

When going to confession, I feel ashamed of myself and it would take all my courage to humble myself and confess my sins. But as I know that the priest is God’s representative to help us obtain forgiveness, and he would not condemn me for my sins, gives me the needed strength to go for confession, to admit my sins and ask for forgiveness.

— Evelyn Javier

I keep my heart open when preparing and waiting for confession, and if that should welcome any nervousness and doubt. It is good to remember that in confession we are telling our sins to the priest who acts in the person of Christ so the one to whom I am talking or confessing is in fact Jesus. The sacrament of confession is meant to bring comfort and change for a new start. Thus, there’s nothing more to worry about.— Flor Kitane

The fear for being embarrassed, fear for being shamed, fear for not knowing what to do, or what to say, and doubts that I may not be so prepared as I ought to be, are sometimes the cause of my uneasiness before making a confession. To overcome such fears, I pray first for courage and humility to confess because I am a sinner. 

— Doriz Mista Masilang

Confession is one of God’s sacraments which was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. When we are feeling anxious about receiving it, we must be reminded that God does not condemn us because we have sinned but rather, he is waiting for us to humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness. Jesus Christ is ever present in the confessional represented by the priest who is ready to receive us with open arms. — Emerito Ragunton

A healing confession starts with reflection. Taking a step of faith and owning up to our wrongdoings offers us the opportunity for personal recovery and growth. I need to ask Jesus to give me strength to conquer my worries and fear before confession. I may worry about how God and the priest will look at me after my confession, because of my habitual sins committed again and again. But anyway after my confession it really calms my anxiety and bring peace within me because I know that the Lord loves me and whatever my sins are, he will forgive me and love me. — Angelita Maria Roma

I know the priest to whom I go for my confessions and he guides me on how to prepare myself before entering the confessional box. I follow his advice on how to overcome my worries and fear of going to confession. I need to reflect, do my examination of conscience and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for courage and wisdom. I look at it now in a different perspective that the priest is the visible sign of Jesus who forgives sinners. In these ways my fears are alleviated and I am able to make a good confession.

— Jocelyn Ruaro

Before I go to confession, I pray quietly to the Holy Spirit to guide me. I will go over the booklet “Guide to Examination of Conscience” to help me recall my sins. Knowing that God forgives a repentant sinner, removes my fear and I am confessing my sins to God with the priest as his instrument, gives me the courage to overcome my fear.

— Rhona Jabon Umali

To overcome the fear of going to confession, we must accept our shortcomings with humility and offer them to our Lord God. We must remember that no matter how grievous our sins are, we have a merciful and forgiving God.

— Milagros Riotoc-Villacorte