On Confession
What, after all, should we say about confession?! Ask yourself: if my wife, my children, my closest friend, my colleagues knew of this or that deed of mine, would I be ashamed before them? And whatever you would be ashamed of — that is exactly what you must confess.
When you go to confession, you must confess your own sins, not other people’s. Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
You are ashamed and blush when you need to confess your sins. It is better to be ashamed when committing a sin than at confession. Think: if you do not confess your sins here, then there (at the Dread Judgement) everything will be revealed before the whole world. Where will the torment be greater? Where will the shame be greater? When we commit sin we are bold and shameless, but at confession we are ashamed and put it off.
Do not think it awkward, when you make your confession, to fall down on the ground before the saviour of your soul, your spiritual father, as before God. I have seen condemned men soften the severity of the judge by their sorrowful and pitiful look, their sincere admission and their earnest entreaty, and turn his anger into mercy. That is why John the Baptist required confession before baptism from those who came to him — not because he needed it, but for the salvation of men.
The devil often suggests to us either not to confess to our spiritual father, or to lay the blame for our own sin on another.
He who openly discloses all his sins to his spiritual father shows true faith in him; but he who hides something is still wandering without a road.
A thought grows into a deed if we do not confess it before our spiritual father, just as eggs warmed under wings come to life.
A soul that is mindful of confession holds back its sins as with a bridle, while sins that remain unrepented drag a man into darkness. If in our teacher’s absence we picture him vividly and keep away from what he would not accept — in talk or in words, in food or in sleep or in anything else — this means that we have truly come to know real obedience. It is untrue disciples who are glad when their teacher goes away; the true ones mourn it.
Hide nothing at confession, so that you do not catch an incurable disease.
