Confession
Psalm 42:1 “As the deer longs for running streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.”
Friday, August 22, 2025 — First Confession.
Here I am. At the Cathedral.
For my first confession.
While waiting, a Eucharistic Adoration takes place.
The church is quiet, you can hear every movement, every footstep.
We all side-shuffle from the easternmost side of the church to the westernmost side.
A lot of people, all here for the same reason.
It’s almost my turn to go into the confession booth.
The nerves set in, heart pounding out of my chest.
I slow my breathing, fixing my eyes to the Eucharist at the altar.
In my hand, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC),
everything we stand for, our rules, and our lore.
Inside, a Post-it with my confessions written out.
Bookmarked pages hold the prayers I whisper during this solemn moment.
I inch closer and closer to the booth.
Nerves, nerves, nerves.
Heart races again.
The bright light still red.
I wait.
Then suddenly.
The bright light once red, now green.
It’s go time.
The patron before me steps out.
My turn. No turning back now.
I walk up to the historic wooden booth.
Father is chilling inside, waiting.
I kneel, open the Catechism to my confession.
“Bless me father for I have sinned”.
I list them off.
He says, “Wow that was a great confession”.
He asks about my background.
I give him my story.
He gives me Psalm 42 as my penance.
We pray together.
Close out our Confession Session.
I exit, making my way to the front of the church,
resuming the Eucharistic Adoration.
Reading Psalm 42, wondering why I was given that
and not the Hail Marys and Our Fathers often given out.
I didn’t soften my confessions.
I got right to the point.
It was personal.
They revealed my flaws as a man.
We even laughed after I confessed.
But I walked out with a clean soul.
This was nice.
A weight lifted, all the noise silenced.
I felt one with the Father,
gazing at the Son upon the Cross,
while the incense rose like the Spirit.
What I associated with intimidation.
Is now warm. Comforting.
Here is the reason.
Here is the why.
Now I truly understand.
