Power to bind and loose

[Markie Boy]

What exactly does this mean??? In Catholicism it means the power of the priest in confession to bind or loose sins.

But I'm not so sure this can be, as I have seen where the Catholic priest gave bad confessional information - showing he didn't have the true capacity. And we know Jesus isn't wrong, so what does it mean - binding and loosing? And was that the apostles only?

 

[ArmyMatt]

binding and loosing does have to deal with confession. when a priest absolves the sin, the sin is absolved.

now, giving out bad info during confession or whatever is another matter.

 

[Markie Boy]

What about when they permit things that are wrong? You come confessing something you feel isn't right, and they comfort you in your sin?

That does not seem like true ability to bind and loose.

 

[ArmyMatt]

just because they abuse or neglect the ability doesn't mean they don't have it.

 

[All4Christ]

What about when they permit things that are wrong? You come confessing something you feel isn't right, and they comfort you in your sin?

That does not seem like true ability to bind and loose.

We don’t confess to the priest. We confess to God. The priest is a witness. The absolution doesn’t come from the priest’s worthiness or wisdom. (If that was the case, no priest would be able to provide it.) The priest does pronounce absolution, but when we confess those things, Jesus is there receiving our confession.

A few passages from our rite of confession:

My spiritual child, do not be ashamed to relate to God before me, all that you came to tell, because you are not telling these things to me but to God before whom you stand.?

May God Who pardoned David through Nathan the Prophet when he confessed his sins, Who pardoned Peter who wept bitterly for his denial, the Harlot who wept at His feet, the Publican and the Prodigal, forgive you all things, through me a sinner, both in this world and in the world to come, and set you uncondemned before His terrible Judgment Seat. And I, your unworthy priest, do conjoin you to the unity of the faithful, and the body of Christ’s Church and do communicate you with the Divine Mysteries of the Church: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Behold, my child, Christ stand here invisibly and receives your confession. Wherefore be not ashamed or afraid and conceal nothing from me, but tell without hesitation all things which you have done, and so you shall have pardon from our Lord Jesus Christ. Lo, His holy image is before us, and I am but a witness, bearing testimony before Him of the things which you have to say. But if you shall conceal anything you shall have the greater sin. Take heed, therefore, lest having come to the physician, you depart unhealed.

 

[archer75]

What about when they permit things that are wrong? You come confessing something you feel isn't right, and they comfort you in your sin?

That does not seem like true ability to bind and loose.

Sometimes people come in not only with sin but also a spiritually unhealthy attachment to the fact of having sinned. Some priests may make a pastoral decision to treat that as well as the sin itself.

 

[TheLostCoin]

Dear Fr. Matt,

Although Confession is connected is the power of binding and loosing, how connected is the power of binding and loosing to Canonization or Excommunication / Anathematization / Epitemia? And how connected is it to the Bishop's authority over his respective Churches?

 

[ArmyMatt]

not sure, you'd have to ask a bishop about that

 

[Not David]

If it is like confessing to Christ Himself, then why do we need a priest to give the absolution face to face?

 

[Lukaris]

In the Old Testament the priest ministered the blood sacrifice for sins ( for ex. Leviticus 7 ). St. James ( James 5:16) still says we confess our sins to one another; I understand this to mean the priest remains our witness. I believe the Lord conferred the same bind & loosing of sins to Ezekiel & the Apostles ( see Ezekiel 3:16-21 & John 20:21-23). Note that the witness is to counsel when necessary.

Digit typos to scripture links corrected fwiw....

 

[ArmyMatt]

If it is like confessing to Christ Himself, then why do we need a priest to give the absolution face to face?

because that is the means by which Christ absolves us

 

[Not David]

because that is the means by which Christ absolves us

Is that why Confession is a mystery? Because Christ could do it by Himself but instead He uses priests?

 

[ArmyMatt]

Is that why Confession is a mystery? Because Christ could do it by Himself but instead He uses priests?

no. it's a mystery in that we don't know how it works in full.

 

[Albion]

I don't favor private confession to a priest except under very unusual circumstances, but you need to think of the whole thing as him pronouncing the absolution, the forgiveness of sins, on behalf of God. Unless the penitent is obviously not serious, the priest cannot withhold absolution.

The fact is that people feel that there is something tangible to that face to face process, whereas they often feel--after a confession straight to God in prayer--that it goes unanswered. They confessed, but what was God's reply? They don't know.

o matter what the church says to assure them that God forgives sincerely confessed sins, they feel that they aren't sure he would forgive them or their sin, etc. You even see that thought posted on a thread here on CF from time to time.

 

[Markie Boy]

If it is like confessing to Christ Himself, then why do we need a priest to give the absolution face to face?

I have questioned Catholicism about this - can you confess direct to God without the priest? The answer has been yes, but it has to be a perfect act of contrition for it to work.

Then my mind says - so if I confess to the priest I don't have to be fully sorry and repenting??? How does that work - does the priest make up some difference?

There just does not seem to be a good answer. Can one confess direct to God and be forgiven, or not?

 

[Anhelyna]

Albion said <<I don't favor private confession to a priest except under very unusual circumstances,......... >

BUT

As said up the thread - we confess to God Himself - and the priest is with us acting as a witness to our Confession - we are NOT confessing to the priest

 

[Albion]

Albion said <<I don't favor private confession to a priest except under very unusual circumstances,......... >

BUT

As said up the thread - we confess to God Himself - and the priest is with us acting as a witness to our Confession - we are NOT confessing to the priest

I understand, but I felt that the questions have had the the Roman church and its practice in mind.

In any case, I meant only to ease the apprehensions of several people over the idea of confessing in the presence of a priest, not enter into any debate, so I'll let it go at that.

 

[HardHead]

What exactly does this mean???

If you read the book of Acts of the Apostles you will find may situations where the apostles cure illness/affliction and raise the dead. This is part of the binding/loosing and its not necessarily about confession, per se.

 

[AMM]

I have questioned Catholicism about this - can you confess direct to God without the priest? The answer has been yes, but it has to be a perfect act of contrition for it to work.

Then my mind says - so if I confess to the priest I don't have to be fully sorry and repenting??? How does that work - does the priest make up some difference?

There just does not seem to be a good answer. Can one confess direct to God and be forgiven, or not?

We do confess directly to God. Ideally, this occurs in the presence of a priest who can then absolve us of our sins. But I don't think we would say that someone is condemned because they were unable to make it to formal confession due to their circumstances. I think (and I'm subject to correction if necessary) that repentance (turning away from sin and not doing it again, through prayer and works of charity) is more important than confession (stating your sin where a priest can hear it). Certainly, that's not to dismiss Confession! In Confession, Christ, through the priest, verbally confirms to us that our sins are forgiven, that we are free.

Without the priest, without his stole, without his absolution - I can confess before an Icon all I want, but I'm still missing that confirmation of forgiveness, the taking away of sin, casting it away from me forever, without the priest.

Monk Moses of the Holy Mountain. Many Confess, But Few Repent

 

[All4Christ]

Agreed with the above posters. One additional note - we ask for forgiveness from our sins every day through our prayer rule. Additionally, Confession also is reconciliation to the Church. When we sin, we don’t sin in isolation. We don’t confess in a confessional, but rather in the sanctuary where others often are praying. It used to be confession in front of the entire church, which was required of penitents in order to be reconciled to the Church. We don’t sin in isolation and we don’t confess and repent in isolation.

“Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent.” ~ St. John Chrysostom