I try to go to confession at least once per month. What troubles me is that often I am simply confessing the same sin each month. That gets me discouraged as I seem to make little progress overcoming this particular sin. Should I try to go to confession more often, weekly perhaps? I know that each time that I receive this sacrament that I receive graces to overcome my weakness, perhaps I do not go to confession often enough. Do you have other suggestions that might help me?
Don’t think you are the only one in that situation. I have heard it said, “Thank God we do confess the same sin over and over, because we don’t want any new ones.” That being said somewhat jokingly, it is discouraging to remain in the same sin. St. Paul sympathized, “I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” (Rom 7:18-19) St. Paul also begged the Lord to remove a “thorn in the flesh”, but the answer given to him was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:7-9) It is good to ponder this. Being a Christian is not so much about perfectionism, but instead it is a life of faith, hope, and love; we follow Christ and yet depend upon the Lord’s grace and mercy because God’s “power is made perfect in weakness”.
Still, we are called to struggle against sin. If a person wants to overcome a particular sin, of course the Sacrament of Reconciliation is the best place to start. We confess our sins and make a new start in God’s grace. Further, we should keep coming back regularly, just as we would continue to get regular checkups with our doctor if we had a physical weakness or illness. I believe monthly confession is a good practice for most people. But confession alone is not enough. Grace builds upon nature. To overcome sin, we have to look at the causes of it in ourselves, address them, and avoid what leads us into temptation. To this end we might have to join a support group, read a book on the subject, or at the very least make a daily examination of conscience at the end of the day to see where and why we sinned, to ask for God’s mercy and grace, and to make a resolution on what to do tomorrow. Sin is much like an addiction. We need a battle plan. We have to take small steps. So don’t be discouraged. God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. And as Jesus said concerning the sinful women who anointed his feet with oil, “I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” (Lk 7:47)
-Fr. Greg
