IT WAS WRONG, BUT…
Discussing our experiences with Confessors, one person told of how she confessed missing Sunday Mass while on a trip, and then she gave the priest a list of reasons and unusual circumstances why she thought she was probably justified in what she had decided.
Father didn’t seem to see it that way, and seemed unusually unsympathetic and harsh in his reaction to all her explanations. Not being a priest, I am more inclined to be sympathetic with her, and feel bad that she came away somewhat confused and miffed. I’ve probably done the same sort of thing, saying that I was wrong, but not really that wrong, because I thought etc etc etc.
But I can see why a confessor might be impatient with such muddy waters, especially when we are there to confess. It’s nice to be told that you’re not really such a bad person, and what you did is understandable, but think of the old saw, “if you did the crime, you should do the time.”
I think it interesting, but perhaps she learnt from it. God is both sympathetic, when we own up to it, and unsympathetic when we don’t, but perhaps the priest was either right, or impatient, I do not know, but it is interesting
