Church Services
Confessions heard before Liturgy: Please contact Fr. Shuga for preparation.
Confession is the Sacrament in which forgiveness of sins committed after baptism is bestowed by God through a priest on a person who confesses his sins and is sincerely sorry for them. Christ Himself instituted the Sacrament, according to Orthodox belief, after His Resurrection when He breathed on His disciples an said “Receive ye the Holy Spirit; whose sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose sins ye retain they are retained.” The Apostles passed on these powers to their successors in the Sacrament of Ordination.
The outward signs of the Sacrament are: 1) Confession proceeding from penitence; 2) the laying on of the hands of the priest on the head of the penitent one, and 3) the prayer of absolution.
Penitence is the first prerequisite to confession and it consist of the following steps: 1) The sense of sin and recognizing it as evil; 2) Contrition, that is, sorrow for the sins committed; 3) A firm resolution to amend; 4) Faith in the power of Christ to forgive sins and to save; and 5) Reconciliation and restitution with one’s neighbor against whom one has sinned.
Confession should be oral, before a priest or bishop. It should precede Holy Communion, although it may not necessary every time one goes to Holy Communion if Communion is frequent and regular. This is determined by ones father confessor and should be discussed with him in advance. Orthodox Canon Law requires that Orthodox faithful go to Confession and receive Holy Communion at least four times each year, preferably during the Four Great Fasts.
At times the priest will assign a penance, that is certain spiritual chores or tasks accompanied by appropriate physical practices to be performed by the penitent one for a certain period of time. These are assigned for the spiritual betterment and the welfare of the penitent, and should be carried out in detail.
It is preferable that each Orthodox have his or her own spiritual father confessor to whom one goes to confession always. In this way the father confessor develops an understanding of the spiritual needs of the penitent, and greater advances and progress can be achieved in the overall spiritual life.
Preparing for Confession
When preparing to come to Confession one must think in advance of the sins and transgressions, which he/she has committed before God and before his/her fellow man. Too often individuals will come quite unprepared and when they are asked, “What sins do you have before God,” an answer such as “Oh, the usual!” is given. What is the usual sin? Just because YOU have classified it as usual does NOT make that sin acceptable in the eyes of our Lord. To commit a transgression “sometimes” or “once in a while” is just as bad as “many times.”
Think! Think well in advance and ponder on your intent to rectify your own faults. NEVER BRING INTO YOUR CONFESSION ANOTHER PERSON’S INVOLVEMENT IN YOUR SIN: “I guess I should have stayed out of it, but so-and-so talked me into it.” When mentioning some one else in YOUR Confession, you become guilty of trying to shift the blame (or at least some of it) to the other person. That’s what Adam and Eve did in Paradise.
When approaching for Confession, remember that you are presenting yourself before Christ who stands invisibly to hear you. The way you dress for Holy Confession is very important as well. Confession is not a casual affair. The same attention should be directed when one approaches the Holy Chalice to receive the Precious Flesh and Blood of Christ.
One of the most amazing things about Confession, and Communion, is the “Healing Power” they possess. The healing power of Confession, and Communion, is seen not only in the spiritual context of our souls but also in ones own physical feeling of wellbeing. This is achieved by the Orthodox Christians belief that forgiveness of ones sins through Christ our savior gives them a newness in life.
The Orthodox Church teaches that it is not the priest, but Christ Himself, who actually forgives the sins of the confessed. The priest, your father confessor, is the instrument of the Lord’s Grace.