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Persuasion about confession...
My dearest brothers and sisters:
Well...my turn now to ask questions :D
Look....I have this collegemate of mine, ok? She's of EXCELLENT character...except that she doesn't believe in confession as a sacrement...meaning she doesn't realize that confession is critical to one's eternity...no Biblical verses or Church history persuade her of at least the importance of such a sacrement, let alone knowing its depth, however, she does go regularly to her FOC as means of taking advice ONLY...but...wrong things are not spoken of to him...and also, I am not sure if she sticks to the rest of the sacrements...we got to talk about this one only...
What do I personally do, knowing she is a good collegemate and that's it....and that I don't want her to freak out from being "Orthodox" as in "stiff"?
Thanks everybody! :):)
In HIS Name,
RFZ
Well...my turn now to ask questions :D
Look....I have this collegemate of mine, ok? She's of EXCELLENT character...except that she doesn't believe in confession as a sacrement...meaning she doesn't realize that confession is critical to one's eternity...no Biblical verses or Church history persuade her of at least the importance of such a sacrement, let alone knowing its depth, however, she does go regularly to her FOC as means of taking advice ONLY...but...wrong things are not spoken of to him...and also, I am not sure if she sticks to the rest of the sacrements...we got to talk about this one only...
What do I personally do, knowing she is a good collegemate and that's it....and that I don't want her to freak out from being "Orthodox" as in "stiff"?
Thanks everybody! :):)
In HIS Name,
RFZ
Comments
Look from my prespective, I certainly believe that you need to write to her a letter with some advice, say what you feel is right to say, just believe that our Lord is the answer to this, if you pray you are doing the right thing, but remember in the letter tell her all the 7 sacrements in order, and if you go to the same church talk to abouna, and if he has some tips, try them, see how it works out, you need to read to her, something that has a value in your life from the bible, I mean I have changed people from saying bad words to spiritual words with either a lesson from the Holy Bible or a verse, this verse I use mainly throughout my life,
"Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a man" Matthew 15:11 this is a very common used verse from me, hoped this helped, and keep us updated!
Forever,
Coptic Servent
In HIS Name,
RFZ
Another important point is that confession and guideness are two distinct things. Confession is a scarament that we practice before God in the presence of a priest for the remission of our sins. We have to accept that pain and shyness that start to attack us before confession because what we are gaining is unperceptible.
Guideness is different, though it is recommanded that is comes from a priest, it doesn't have to be in the presence of a priest. But mixing it with confession is very dangerous.
miena
Confession is always painful! Everytime we practise this sacrament, we have to go through this pain again. It is the pain of humiliation for what is called self ego. Confession is the best way to practise self-denial. In the gospel according to St Luke, chapter 9 , verse 23, The Lord said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."
Another important point is that confession and guideness are two distinct things. Confession is a scarament that we practice before God in the presence of a priest for the remission of our sins. We have to accept that pain and shyness that start to attack us before confession because what we are gaining is unperceptible.
Guideness is different, though it is recommanded that is comes from a priest, it doesn't have to be in the presence of a priest. But mixing it with confession is very dangerous.
miena
Every word you said, Miena can really affect us, I truely believe that, that is a reference in our Life, we can all learn something great out of that, and it is painful to go through the same sin everytime, but when you let everything out and repent, you feel GREAT inside, it feels like you have a spiritual life, that gives you a way to live!
Forever,
Coptic Servent
Thanks Miena....
Pray everybody....no updates as of now on this problem...we're all stuck in midterms and projects here in Cairo :)
In HIS Name,
RFZ
Also,your priest is a sinner as well, he is not to judge you. The priests actually abide in a rule that forbids them to even remember your sins. When you walk out of the room, your priest must have already neglected the memory of your sin ( nor is he to dicuss it etc.)
Pray for the girl...and I'm sure God will protect His child....I'm sure.
In HIS Name,
RFZ
how about not confrinting her in a direct but in an indirect way...if she is a good friend, maybe whilst in the conversation of say lieing or something related to sin, tell her of ur joy of confession and how happy, alive n light you feel once u have confessed.....make her yern for confession!!!!
thats a good way!
GBU
The problem is many people consider such talk as fairy tales...or say, for example...."this talk is for people higher than us in spirituality" so they listen to it as if it were a fairy tale :'(
In HIS Name,
RFZ
small problem...but I know it's cuz of me... :'(
The problem is many people consider such talk as fairy tales...or say, for example...."this talk is for people higher than us in spirituality" so they listen to it as if it were a fairy tale :'(
In HIS Name,
RFZ
This may be a problem, but consider the Jews I'm not criticizing them or judging them at all, they just thought of our Lord Jesus Christ as a prophet and they are STILL waiting for the messiah--in other words the first coming, which is going to be the second, the Jews have no idea that that was the MESSIAH, we want them to believe, and so does our Lord Jesus Christ, but the problem is they don't want to believe, their belief is waiting for the Messiah for the first coming, just don't give up, some Jews probably do believe and some don't!
Forever,
Coptic Servent