My son Colin made his first confession last week. I didn’t actually know what he said during his confession because he wouldn’t tell me. And that’s fine because it’s private—you know, between him and God. But I still asked. (Obviously.)
A few days later, as we were in the car driving home from school, he was apparently ready to talk about it. My daughter and I were discussing school and how our days went. Colin, out of nowhere, brings up his confession.
Colin: “My first confession was pretty easy.”
Me (trying to be all casual): “Oh yeah? How did it go?”
Colin (matter-of-factly): “Well, I greeted the priest. And then I said my sin.”
Erin (somewhat aghast): “You only had to say ONE sin? We had to do like THREE.”
Colin: “Well. I only said one. Anyhow, then the priest did… that thing to make my sins go away.”
Erin (nodding her head thoughtfully): “You mean the Prayer of Absolution?”
Colin: “Yeah, whatever. He did THAT, and then I was done. So I left.”
Erin (clearly moved by the memory of her own first confession): “Oh WOW. How did you feel after?”
Colin (somewhat confused): “Uh, the same.”
Erin (still in her own memory): “Oh, I felt sooooo much lighter and better after mine.”
Colin (tossing aside his sister’s memory): “Yeah, well, I felt the same.”
There were a few moments of silence while everyone pondered the conversation. I was stifling laughter. Erin was likely judging her brother. Actually, no. She’s far too saintly to judge him. She was likely still thinking about her first confession. And Colin was thinking about Colin-things (probably Legos). Then he broke the silence.
Colin: “I’d rather do that again than get that thing that we did at CVS.”
Me: “So you’d rather confess all of your sins to a priest than get a shot?”
Colin: “Yeah?! And, CAN WE NOT SAY THAT WORD PLEASE?”
7 Responses
Ugh. I would *so* rather have a shot than go to confession. “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been two thousand years since my last confession. My first sin is that I always swear my ASS off. Ha ha! Oops. Moving on…”
This is why we’re friends. I willingly gave myself a shot everyday when pregnant with Colin. And for a couple of months after. I haven’t been to confession since… well… my first confession.
Does therapy count? I’ve done lots of that. It should totally count.
I only had one sin. The priest kept asking for more. I wouldn’t give in and I decided I would never go back. I keep my promises to myself.
Be true to yourself! (But I’m sure there was another sin in there somewhere.)
I’m w/ Colin on this. Although I would take a shot over confession. My husband is the pious one in the family, & he’s always trying to get me to go to church (on holidays b/c that’s how pious he is). And I always keep saying I’m jewish (even though I’m catholic) b/c I wish I was jewish so he couldn’t force me to go to church. (I’m actually agnostic so I guess he can still force me).
I would totally rather get a shot than confess all of my sins. The whole process would be A LOT shorter.
We’re talking tequila shots, right? Yes, I’d definitely rather do that than confession. Didn’t know they had them at CVS, though…