From the Pastor’s Desk
PRIVATE CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION
Lent is from ancient times the church’s principal season of repentance, in preparation for the Festival of the Resurrection. All Christians are urged to go to individual confession periodically. This Lent, Mount Calvary is offering times when you can come and make confession without an appointment. The open hours for confession are:
Wednesday, March 6, 6:00–6:45 PM
Wednesday, March 13, 6:00–6:45 PM
Wednesday, March 20, 6:00–6:45 PM
(If these times do not work for you, please arrange a time on this date or any other date in Lent.)
We have a new opportunity to meet in the pastor’s study. The kneeling bench is visible as you enter. Pr. Seifferlein will be there to greet you. He may ask if you are in need of some guidance. After a short prayer of general confession, the penitent says, “What troubles me particularly is…” and then names particular sins. (Some people prepare a list of things they want to confess and bring it with them. This is helpful but not necessary; the important thing is to reflect on your life according to the Ten Commandments.) The pastor is bound by a solemn oath to never divulge what is confessed. (See pages 292-293 in Lutheran Service Book if you would like to read through this service before you arrive.)
After the confession, the pastor speaks the Absolution directly to the penitent and may give additional encouragement through Scripture passages. Jesus said to His apostles in John 20:21-23, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
While not easy, confessing one’s sins privately before the pastor allows the word of forgiveness to be addressed to specific sins that you might be clinging to, fearful about, or troubled by. We may want to hide them, but this is an opportunity to shine the light on them this Lent, and receive the very forgiveness from Jesus cross and death that removes them away from us forever. We may wonder what the pastor thinks about us, but we should be encouraged that every parent is joyous when a child comes to admit what they have done with the hope of being forgiven. The pastor, as a sinner himself, has this great privilege of unburdening consciences. Pastor Seifferlein also regularly confesses himself to another pastor, showing in his example what he offers to others also. The pastor is not “above” what he himself gives.
We may wonder what God thinks about us because of what we have done. The devil may hold certain sins before our face. Lent is the time to ask God if even those sins are forgiven. They may be big or small (in the eyes of the world or in our eyes) but if they bother us, they are important to confess. Jesus came to His disciples after they screwed everything up. He rejoiced to point to the nail wounds that He had received. He knew all their sins and what they did, but gave forgiveness. The disciples were given the command to carry this message of peace and pardon to the world. Private confession is where we meet alone with Jesus and receive His Word of pardon even as His wounded hands are placed upon us and the sign of the cross is made on our forehead, restoring us to our Baptism.
Don’t be afraid. Just come.
In Christ,
Pr. Seifferlein
