There's a reason that Christ instituted the Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation.
As an Episcopalian, I dutifully recited the "General Confession" every Sunday of my life . . . but I never 'got anything out of it' so to speak. When I left the confessional after my first confession in the Catholic Church, I was walking on air. The tremendous relief of having done something positive to get right with God is unbelievable.
. . . try it, you'll like it!
"When I left the confessional after my first confession in the Catholic Church, I was walking on air. The tremendous relief of having done something positive to get right with God is unbelievable."
In Orthodoxy, we regularly address, in the Liturgy, Christ as "Physician of our souls and bodies". The Church is a hospital for sick souls and the Mysterion of Confession, private, personal, one on one with the priest, is among the most powerful tools The Church has to cure us of the deadly consequences of sin.
Truth be told, its probably my favorite sacrament and it pleases me that many protestant groups are adopting it (along with fasting and various other lesser devotions).
I've heard stories of non-Catholics going to RC confession.
Years ago a friend asked me why Catholics confess sins to a priest instead of directly to God. I quoted him the scripture from John 21:21-24 “Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” I asked him two questions: First - Where was the only other time in the Bible that God breathed on man? The answer is when God breathed life into Adam. He agreed that this was something special. I told him we believe that Christ was creating his priesthood. The second question was about the choice the apostles had in forgiving or not forgiving anyone their sins. They would have to hear the sins to be able to make this distinction. This is when Christ instituted the sacrament of penance. Two years later I was with him when he was welcomed into the Catholic Church.
Your experience with this wonderful sacrament is not unique!
mine felt like heavy chains were taken off my heart. Thank God for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, -- forgiveness of sins, peace of mind, and it helps prevent you from sinning again. Everyone should go regularly.
"When I left the confessional after my first confession in the Catholic Church, I was walking on air."
Every time I can actually feel the weight of my sins lifted from my shoulders.
Oh, absolutely! I joined the Catholic Church primarily for Confession -- the rest of the Church is swell, too, but I learned that later :-).
My Sunday School students are always stuned when I tell them I love going to Confession!