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How could it be possible for me, filthy inside as I was, to approach this pure figure [Mary]? It wasn't as if she could forgive my sins, only Jesus could do that, and as I grew to have a deeper relationship with Jesus, to approach her seemed unnecessary, and also seemed to take something away from the Power and Glory of Christ. (emphasis added)

Hello AlbionGirl -

I gather from your post that you grew up in Catholic schooling. I thought I had been taught by Catholics on this thread that priests had the full and literal authority to forgive sins, that such power had been delegated to them, through successors, all the way back to the Apostles. (I have been arguing with them about this throughout this thread. :) I just wanted to ask you if you are referring to what you were taught then, or what you believe now? Thanks, and nice to meet you. :)

Hi FK,

"I just wanted to ask you if you are referring to what you were taught then, or what you believe now?"

Probably both. Even though I was taught that a priest did have the power to forgive sin, I was also taught that it was done on behalf of Christ or through the power of Christ.

So, the self-dialogue that naturally occurred when I reflected on my sins was directed immediately to Christ, as I saw him as the Source of Mercy and Forgivness.

The priest was necessary per dictate, but he never really stood in Christ's stead for me, in that I conflated the two. And that's probably because the priest never really comported himself, either in style or substance, as Christ did when He dealt with sin in Scripture.

No priest absolves you with the following words, "your sins are forgiven because you have loved much." No priest forgives your sin saying, "charity coverth a multitude of sins." So, there was definitely a disconnect there for me.

"Thanks, and nice to meet you. :)"

You too.