Catholic Confession: A Silly Dialogue

Josh, why do you go to the confession?
1. I'm a sinner.
2. I want to confess my sins to God.
3. As a sinner, I want to confess my sins to God the way that God wants me to confess my sins.
4. The way that God wants me, a sinner, to confess my sins is by going to a priest for the Sacrament of Penance.

Josh, that seems fair.  However, don't you believe that God forgives sins?
That's a fair question.  Yes, I believe that God forgives sins.  Now I have a question for you: do you believe that God has the authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people?

Josh, that's a fair question.  Yes, I believe that God has the authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people because Matthew 19:26 says But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  But just because Jesus said that with God all things are possible it doesn't mean that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people.  Is there evidence in the Bible that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people?
That's a fair question.  Yes, there is evidence in the Bible that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people.  Consider Leviticus 19:22 And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering before the LORD for his sin which he has committed; and the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.

Josh, that is pretty convincing and I accept your point.  After all, that's what the Bible says and the Bible is true.  But I have a funny feeling about that.  Maybe because it's in the Old Testament it's not really important anymore.  Is there evidence in the New Testament that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people?
That's a fair question.  Yes, there is evidence in the New Testament that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people.  Consider John 20:21-23 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I 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; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Josh, that is pretty convincing and I accept your point.  After all, that's what the New Testament says and the New Testament is true.  Is there more evidence in the New Testament that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people?
That's a fair question.  Yes, there is more evidence in the New Testament that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people.  Consider James 5:14-16 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.

Josh, that is pretty convincing and I accept your point.  After all, that's what the New Testament says and the New Testament is true.  But that passage uses the word "elders" - what does "elders" mean?
That's a fair question.  According to the Catholic Dictionary, "elders" means: The older men in a community acting as a governing body (I Samuel 16:4). The Sanhedrin, for instance, was made up of elders (Exodus 3:16). They were mentioned in Matthew as joining the chief priests in challenging Jesus during his ministry (Matthew 27:12). The traditional system carried over into Christian communities. The Apostles appointed elders to take charge of each church (Acts 14:23). According to the Council of Trent, the elders mentioned by St. James as administrators of the sacrament of anointing (James 5:14) "does not refer to the older men nor to the more influential men in the community, but to the bishops or the priests duly ordained by the bishops through the laying on of hands of the presbyterate" (Denzinger 1697).

Josh, that is pretty convincing and I accept your point.  Is there more evidence in the New Testament that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people? 
That's a fair question.  Yes, there is more evidence in the New Testament that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people.  Consider 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Josh, that is pretty convincing and I accept your point.  After all, that's what the New Testament says and the New Testament is true.  I understand that there is evidence in the Bible that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people.  But I don't think I believe it.
That's fair.  But just because you don't believe something it doesn't mean that it's not true.  Plus, the New Testament tells us that sometimes people don't believe the truth.  Consider Acts 28:24 And some were convinced by what he said, while others disbelieved.  Also, consider Acts 28:26-27 `Go to this people, and say, You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.'

Josh, wow. I guess that I should believe that God used his authority and power to establish a priesthood to communicate his forgiveness to his people.  But I think that this is a hard saying.
That's fair.  Yes, you should believe it's true.  Also, just because something is a hard saying doesn't mean that it isn't true and that you shouldn't believe it.  Consider John 6:60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" Something can be a hard saying and still be true and something that you should believe.

Josh, wow. Thanks. You are really smart.
That's fair.  But I'm not really smart; I'm just pointing out what the Lord has revealed to us.

Josh, wow. Thanks for pointing out what the Lord has revealed to us.
You're welcome.


Pope Benedict XVI:
In the Sacrament of Penance Christ crucified and risen, through his ministers, purifies us with his infinite mercy, restores us to communion with the heavenly Father and our brothers, and makes a gift of his love, joy and peace to us.

Is this true?

pax tecum

The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Scripture and Pope Leo XIII

The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary:
1. The Resurrection
2. The Ascension
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4. The Assumption
5. The Coronation

What do you think of the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary?

Are the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary good?

Are the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary scriptural?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

resurrection  - the state of one risen from the dead

ascension - the act or process of ascending

descent -  the act or process of descendin

assumption - the taking up of a person into heaven

coronation - the act or occasion of crowning

Are these definitions of the Merriam-Webster dictionary correct?  

Scripture (RSV-Catholic):

* This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. - Acts 2: 32

* While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. - Luke 24: 51

* And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. - Acts 2: 2-4

* and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. - Romans 8: 17

* And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars - Revelations 12: 1

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

Pope Leo XIII:

The Glorious Mysteries reveal the mediation of the great Virgin, still more abundant in fruitfulness. She rejoices in heart over the glory of her Son triumphant over death, and follows Him with a mother's love in His Ascension to His eternal kingdom; but, though worthy of Heaven, she abides a while on earth, so that the infant Church may be directed and comforted by her "who penetrated, beyond all belief, into the deep secrets of Divine wisdom" (St. Bernard).

Is this true?

pax tecum

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Scripture and St. Bonaventure

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary:
1. The Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion

What do you think of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary?

Are the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary good?

Are the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary scriptural?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
agony - intense pain of mind or body
scourging - flog, whip
crowning - to place a crown or wreath on the head of
carrying - to transfer from one place to another
crucifixion - the act of crucifying

Are these definitions of the Merriam-Webster dictionary correct? 

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 
* And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.- Luke 22: 44
* Then he released for them Barab'bas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. - Matthew 27: 26
* and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" - Matthew 27: 29
* So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha.- John 19: 17
* And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.- Luke 23: 33

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

St. Bonaventure:
"He who desires to go on advancing from virtue to virtue, from grace to grace, should meditate continually on the Passion of Jesus."

Is this true?

pax tecum

The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Scripture and Pope John Paul II

The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary:

1. The Baptism in the Jordan

2. The Wedding at Cana

3. Proclamation of the Kingdom

4. The Transfiguration

5. Institution of the Eucharist

What do you think of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary?

Are the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary good?

Are the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary scriptural?

Definitions from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

baptism - an act, experience, or ordeal by which one is purified, sanctified, initiated, or named

wedding -  a marriage ceremony usually with its accompanying festivities

proclamation - the action of proclaiming

transfiguration - a change in form or appearance

institution - an act of instituting

Are these definitions of the Merriam-Webster dictionary correct?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 

* And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him - Matthew 3: 16

* On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. - John 2: 1-2

* Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." - Mark 1: 14-15

* Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. - Luke 9: 28-29

* I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh. - John 6: 51

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important? 

Pope John Paul II: 

"Moving on from the infancy and the hidden life in Nazareth to the public life of Jesus, our contemplation brings us to those mysteries which may be called in a special way “mysteries of light”. Certainly the whole mystery of Christ is a mystery of light. He is the “light of the world” (Jn 8:12). Yet this truth emerges in a special way during the years of his public life, when he proclaims the Gospel of the Kingdom....  Each of these mysteries is a revelation of the Kingdom now present in the very person of Jesus." 

Is this true?

pax tecum

The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Scripture and Pope John Paul II

The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary:

1. The Annunciation

2. The Visitation

3. The Nativity

4. The Presentation

5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

What do you think of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary?

Are the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary good?

Are the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary scriptural?

Definitions from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

annunciation - the act of announcing or of being announced

visitation - an instance of visiting

nativity - the process or circumstances of being born

presentation - the act of presenting

finding - the act of one that finds

Are these definitions of the Merriam-Webster dictionary correct?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 

* And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end."- Luke 1: 30-33

* In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth. - Luke 1: 39-40

* And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.- Luke 2: 7

* And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord - Luke 2: 22

* After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions - Luke 2: 46

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

Pope John Paul II:

"The Joyful Mysteries are marked by the joy radiating from the event of the Incarnation. To meditate upon the joyful mysteries is to enter into the ultimate causes and the deepest meaning of Christian joy. It is to focus on the realism of the mystery of the Incarnation and on the obscure foreshadowing of the mystery of the saving Passion. Mary leads us to discover the secret of Christian joy, reminding us that Christianity is, first and foremost, evangelization, "good news", which has as its heart and its whole content the person of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, the one Savior of the world."

Is this true?

pax tecum

Fatima Prayer, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fatima Prayer (Basic Catholic Prayer):

O my Jesus,

forgive us our sins,

save us from the fire of hell,

lead all souls to heaven,

especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

What do you think of the Fatima Prayer?

Is the Fatima Prayer a good prayer?

Is the Fatima Prayer scriptural?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 

* And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." - Luke 7: 48

* he opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. - Revelation 9: 2

* and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."- Revelation 21: 3-4

* While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.- Romans 5: 6-8

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1848 As St. Paul affirms, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." But to do its work grace must uncover sin so as to convert our hearts and bestow on us "righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Like a physician who probes the wound before treating it, God, by his Word and by his Spirit, casts a living light on sin: Conversion requires convincing of sin; it includes the interior judgment of conscience, and this, being a proof of the action of the Spirit of truth in man's inmost being, becomes at the same time the start of a new grant of grace and love: "Receive the Holy Spirit." Thus in this "convincing concerning sin" we discover a double gift: the gift of the truth of conscience and the gift of the certainty of redemption. The Spirit of truth is the Consoler.

Is this true?

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The Glory Be, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Glory Be (Basic Catholic Prayer):

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now,
and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

What do you think of the Glory Be?

Is the Glory Be a good prayer?

Is the Glory Be scriptural?

Scripture (RSV-Catholic): 

* For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory for ever. Amen. - Romans 11: 36

Is the Bible correct?

Are these passages true?

Are these passages of the Bible important?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1110 In the liturgy of the Church, God the Father is blessed and adored as the source of all the blessings of creation and salvation with which he has blessed us in his Son, in order to give us the Spirit of filial adoption. 

Is this true?

pax tecum