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Originally, the Sacrament of Penance was a public act, which was
required of Christians who either had been officially excommunicated
(separation from the Church and Sacrament of Holy Communion) or had
performed acts liable to excommunication. Gradually, and especially
after the fourth century, it took on the form of private confession
with a Priest and was followed by a prayer of absolution pronounced
by a Priest. Today, there are two primary kinds of confession in
use: private confession by prayer and sacramental confession.
Our Roman Catholic brethren tend to hold to sacramental
confession and our Protestant brethren to confession by private
prayer (although some will do it publicly in front of the entire
congregation). The Orthodox Church, following the apostolic way,
holds that divine forgiveness may be received either by private
prayer or by the Sacrament. It almost always includes some form of
private spiritual direction.
One can find in the early Christian Church an important theology
of tears when in comes to confession and repentance. Just as in
Baptism our sins are cleansed by water, our sins committed after
baptism are also cleansed by water (i.e. “tears of repentance”).
Saint Symeon the New Theologian (10th Century), calls these tears
the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” and teaches that sins committed
after baptism cannot be forgiven without tears.
Saint John Climacus (6th century) wrote, “Greater than baptism
itself is the fountain of tears after baptism, even though it is
somewhat audacious to say so. For baptism is the washing away of
evils that were in us before, but sins committed after baptism are
washed away with tears. Because baptism is received in infancy, we
have all defiled it, but we cleanse it anew with tears. And if God
in His love for mankind had not given us tears, then few indeed
would be saved.”
In the Orthodox Church, the role of the Priest in Confession is
that of a witness rather than a judge. This is why the Sacrament
begins with, “Behold, my child, Christ stands here invisibly and
receives your confession; therefore, do not be ashamed or afraid,
and hid nothing from me; but tell me without hesitation all the
things that you have done, and so you will have pardon from our Lord
Jesus Christ. See, his holy image is before us; and I am only a
witness, bearing testimony before Him of all the things you have to
say to me. But if you hide anything from me, you will have the
greater sin. Take care, then, lest having come to a physician you
depart unhealed.”
It was also common in the early Christian Church, and still is in
churches today that continue this ancient practice, to receive Holy
Communion after the Sacrament of Penance. This is because the
Eucharist is the Sacrament by which our sins are forgiven and washed
in the Precious Blood of Jesus, and all Christian churches were once
united in the theology of Holy Communion (the receiving of the Body
and Blood of Jesus Christ in the form of bread, water and wine). By
uniting these two Sacraments, it serves as a vivid reminder of that
great and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It reminds us that,
while we constantly struggle with missing the mark, we can be
forgiven and reunited with our Lord and Savior…is it really any
wonder this would cause someone to cry?
May the peace and love of our Lord, Jesus Christ, be with you now
and unto the endless ages. Amen.
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