Why Can’t I Confess Directly to God?

And what should I do if there is a particular sin that I find difficult to confess to my priest? Firstly, we do not confess to the priest; rather, we confess to God in the presence of the priest. From the mouth of the priest, we hear the voice of God saying to us, “Now we are all present before God to hear all the things commanded to you by God” (Acts 10:33). If confession were solely to God, Saint Paul would not have said, “Confess your trespasses to one another” (James 5:16). Moreover, why say this only in confession — that I confess directly to God? Does God give you communion or officiate your marriage? All of these matters are carried out in the presence of the priest, who fulfills the commandments of the Lord. It is from the priest’s mouth that the law is sought, as the Lord of Hosts says, “Ask the priests concerning the law” (Haggai 2:11). The priest is a teacher who instructs the law and is also a father to whom we reveal the secrets of the soul for healing. Confession to the priest is essential because he is entrusted by God as “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1). The priest receives the grace of God and delivers it to the people, for “every high priest is appointed from among men on behalf of men in things pertaining to God” (Hebrews 5:1). Confessing in the presence of the priest does not negate first confessing to God. Without confessing to the priest, how will you hear the words of absolution for your sins? Do not say that the priest is a sinner like me, so why should I confess to him? Yes, he is a sinner, but the work of the Holy Spirit in the priest does not depend on his personal holiness but on the merits of Christ, the Head. It is important, especially in confession, to choose someone you trust and feel comfortable with. David, who said, “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight” (Psalm 51), also said, “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32). But we find it difficult to speak directly with God. When God spoke to His people from Mount Horeb, they were terrified and said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die” (Exodus 20:19). Confession to the priest is necessary to help a person distinguish right from wrong, as sometimes certain matters are unclear. Sometimes, unclear sin is due to a wide conscience that allows anything or trivializes sin, while at other times, it is due to an overly scrupulous conscience that sees sin in everything. As the Bible says, “Woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:10). Confession to the priest comforts the soul, especially when we hear the words of absolution granted to him by God. Without confessing to the priest, how will you hear the voice of absolution for your sins? Just as David, after confessing his sin to the prophet Nathan, heard the words of absolution from him, saying, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Samuel 12:13). In Deuteronomy (26:4), it says, “And you shall go to the priest who is in those days, and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord your God’” (showing that confession to the priest is confession to God). Do not say that you are ashamed to confess to the priest. Which is easier: to endure the bitterness of shame, which may deter you from repeating the sin and thus save your soul, or to flee from the bitterness of shame and perish in your sins on the Day of Judgment, when your sins will be exposed not only to the priest but to God, the angels, and all mankind? However, if there is a sin that deeply troubles you and you cannot confess it to your priest, you may go to another priest who does not know you, confess to him, and receive guidance. But this should not become a habit. If you are confident that you are confessing to God, you will not be ashamed before your confessor. Confession, one might say, is like vomiting: you must expel all that is inside to purify yourself from it. The wise Sirach said in his book of wisdom (Sirach 4:24-31), “Do not be ashamed of confessing your sins. For some things bring shame, but there is glory and grace in others. Do not be ashamed to confess your sins, and do not struggle against the flow of the river.” Solomon the king also said, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).