Does the Bible Really Say That?: Discovering Catholic Teaching in Scripture (6 page)

CHAPTER 13

Why Confess to a Priest?

Why should I confess my sins to a
priest
?” the young woman at the microphone demanded of me. “As a Christian, I confess my sins directly to
God
.” Her question, raised at one of my recent parish apologetics seminars, is common among Protestants.

While there is no explicit statement in Scripture that says, “Confess your sins to a priest,” there is a wealth of implicit evidence that leads to this conclusion.

Remember, it’s not an “either-or” proposition—either one confesses his sins directly to God, or he confesses them to a priest. Rather, it’s a “both-and” situation—no Catholic can make a good sacramental confession without first confessing directly to God. Only then can one properly receive the sacrament of confession, receiving sacramental absolution from the priest, who ministers
in persona Christi
(in the Person of Christ) (Luke 10:16; 2 Corinthians 5:18–20).

Ultimately, God alone can forgive sins (Mark 2:7). Christ, who is God, possesses this authority (Matthew 9:5–8; Mark 2:8–11), which he conferred in a subordinate way upon his Apostles when he said, “‘As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’” (John 20:22–23). The special authority was not merely to declare sins to be forgiven, but to actually
forgive
them, in the name of Christ.

Second Corinthians 5:18–20 says,

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Notice that Saint Paul says this ministry was entrusted to “us,” and that “we” are ministers of reconciliation, and that God is appealing through “us.” Then he switches to “you,” saying “we beseech you to be reconciled to God.” This indicates that Saint Paul was speaking about two distinct groups here: those who are ministers of reconciliation, and those who are reconciled to God through their ministry.

This priestly ministry of forgiving sins is linked to Christ’s promise: “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me” (Luke 10:16; see Matthew 10:40); and “[W]hatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18).

James 5:14–16 says, “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” This passage links the forgiveness of sins with the prayers and ministry of the priests [i.e., elders, presbyters] and with the act of confessing one’s sins. And while the phrase “confess your sins to one another” could reasonably be understood to refer to Christians in general, the emphasis on the ministry of the priests here offers an implicit indication of their unique role in forgiving sins.

Mark 1:40–44 tells about a leper who approached Christ and asked to be healed of his illness:

And a leper came to him beseeching him,... “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And he sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people.” (see also Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–14).

There’s a parallel between what happened to this leper and confession to a priest.

Sin, especially mortal sin, is like leprosy—a contagious and horribly disfiguring disease that causes one’s flesh to literally rot away. The leper is like the sinner. He asked Christ for healing, as Catholics do by repenting and turning away from sin. Christ healed the leper just as he forgives the repentant sinner. But notice that Christ didn’t simply heal the leper and send him on his way. He instructed him to go into the city and present himself to the priest so that the priest could examine him and verify the cure; upon that determination, the priest would formally declare the man to be healed and permit him to reenter society. Similarly, in the sacrament of confession, the priest absolves the penitent. He then imposes a penance on the penitent; the cured leper likewise performed a sacrifice of ritual expiation (Leviticus 14). From this passage we can see why Christ instituted the great sacrament of confession.

As 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (emphasis added).

Further Reading:
Leviticus 5:5; Numbers 5:5–7; Job 31:33, 40; Proverbs 28:13; Psalm 38:18; Sirach 4:26; Matthew 3:6; 16:19; 18:18; Mark 2:7; Acts 19:18; 1 John 1:9–10

CCC
, 1424–1497

CHAPTER 14

Defending the Faith

Some people are puzzled by the word “apologetics.” It’s not a commonly heard term, and it also seems to imply that one regrets or feels remorse for having done something wrong. To say, “I apologize” is the same as saying, “I’m sorry for what I did.” But “apologetics” has exactly the opposite meaning.

The classic term for defending the faith is “apologetics.” This English word derives from the Greek word
apología
and its Latin cognate
apológia
. Both mean “to give a defense” or an explanation for something. It’s in this sense that we encounter apologetics in the Bible.

For example, in 1 Peter 3:15 we are told to “Always be prepared to make a defense [Greek:
apologían
] to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence.” It’s worth noting that this exhortation from the first pope to be ready always to do apologetics applies to all baptized Catholics, whether laymen or priests, young or old, married or single.

Saint Paul echoes this universal call to all Christians when he says in Philippians 1:7, “[Y]ou are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense [
apología
] and confirmation of the gospel.” Each of us has a role to play in defending the faith.

Philippians 1:15–16 tells us, “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense [
apologían
] of the gospel.” This passage is reminiscent of the Old Testament example of engaging in apologetics purely for the benefit of the other person: “Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the
Lord
concerning all the saving deeds of the
Lord
which he performed for you and for your fathers” (1 Samuel 12:7).

Saint Jude wrote, “Beloved, being very eager to write to you of our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). It’s interesting that Saint Jude “found it necessary” to remind those original Catholics of their obligation to stand up for the truth. It’s a good reminder for us today, as there are now so many opportunities to stand up for the faith.

The key to practicing authentic Catholic apologetics—according to the mind of the Church and the example of the Apostles—is to be, above all, unswervingly charitable and patient. Authentic Catholic apologetics should never be defensive or abrasive. Properly done, it should be an
invitation
, not a provocation. Our goal is to help people come closer to Christ and the Catholic Church, not to drive them away by our obnoxious behavior.

This means, then, that our use of the tools of reason, the facts of Christian history and the proofs for the Catholic Church in Sacred Scripture must always be careful and purposeful and used for the benefit of the other person, the way a surgeon uses his instruments to correct problems in his patient and, eventually, to heal him. Our approach to apologetics should always be calm, patient and rational, modeled on God’s own invitation, “Come now, let us reason together, / says the
Lord
” (Isaiah 1:18).

If we attempt to explain and defend the faith with a haughty or triumphalistic attitude, or if we just want to win an argument or “get back” at someone, we are doing apologetics for the wrong reason. Our efforts will almost certainly backfire, repelling the other person and likely driving him or her further away from Christ and the Church. We must never allow our ego to be involved in evangelization and apologetics.

Echoing Saint Peter’s admonition to defend the faith with “gentleness and respect,” Saint Paul reminds us to

Have nothing to do with stupid, senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will (2 Timothy 2:23–26).

He also said, “Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every one” (Colossians 4:5–6).

Daniel 3:16–17 shows us that sometimes you must stand your ground and do what’s right, come what may. And 2 Corinthians 12:19 reminds us that apologetics doesn’t mean defending
our
teachings, but the Lord’s: “Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.”

The Apostles evangelized everywhere they went (Acts 2) but sometimes had to engage specifically in apologetics to defend Christ’s teachings. For example, in Acts 22:1 Saint Paul said, “Brethren and fathers, hear the defense [
apologías
] which I now make before you.” Acts 5:17–42 and 18:9–10 provide other examples of the Apostles engaging in apologetics.

You too can practice apologetics, regardless of what you do for a living, where you live, how old or young you may be or what your educational background is. What matters is that Christ has called you, by virtue of your baptism, to be his Apostle to those around you. That’s right—Christ wants
you
to be his Apostle.

Listen to the words of the prophet Amos: “Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the
Lord
took me from following the flock, and the
Lord
said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel”’” (Amos 7:14–16; see Acts 4:13).

Further Reading:
Psalm 119:46; Matthew 10:16–22; Luke 12:11–12; 25:16; 1 Corinthians 9:3; 2 Timothy 4:16–17

CHAPTER 15

The Saints: “A Great Cloud of Witnesses”

Are the saints in heaven aware of what’s happening here on earth? And if they are, do they care?

These questions are at the heart of the controversy separating Catholics from most Protestants on the subject of the communion of saints. The Catholic Church teaches that the blessed in heaven are not only aware of what’s happening here on earth but are also eager to assist us with their prayerful intercession. Let’s see what the Bible says about this.

Hebrews 11 describes the courageous faith of many Old Testament heroes, describing the persecution, asceticism and martyrdoms they endured. The first sentence of Hebrews 12 tells us the reason for this recounting: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2).

Notice the mention of “a great cloud of witnesses.” This refers not only to the testimony and martyrdom of these witnesses (the Greek word for “witness” is
martus
)—it also refers to the fact that now, in heaven, they are witnesses from above. Now that it’s our turn, they observe how we run the race toward our heavenly reward. Notice also that the same Greek word for “witness,”
martus
, which is used here to describe those in heaven, is found in passages such as Matthew 18:15–16: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses” (see also Matthew 26:65; Luke 24:48; Acts 1:22; 2:32; 1 Timothy 6:12). This passage demonstrates how a “witness” is one who is keenly observant and aware of what’s happening.

In Revelation 5:8 the saints in heaven offer the prayers of the “holy ones” (that is, the saints on earth; see Romans 8:27; Revelation 13:7) before the throne of God: “And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints; and they sang a new song....” We catch a glimpse of this scene again in Revelation 8:3–4.

Revelation 5:8 and 8:3–4 demonstrate that the saints in heaven are certainly aware of our prayers and supplications to God (1 Timothy 2:1–3), and that they’re presenting those prayers to him.

In Revelation 6:9–11 the martyrs in heaven offer prayers of imprecation against their erstwhile persecutors on earth. They are quite aware of what’s happening on earth:

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne; they cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

In Revelation 12:10–12 the saints in heaven praise those on earth who have conquered the devil through the blood of Christ. They cry, “[W]oe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” How would they be able to say these things if they didn’t know what was happening on earth?

Similarly, in Revelation 19:1–8, the saints in heaven cry out in unison: “‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.’ Once more they cried, ‘Hallelujah! The smoke from her [Babylon, a city on earth; see Revelation 14:8; 17:1–5] goes up for ever and ever.’” Again, how could the saints say this if they were unaware of earthly events?

The inexorable conclusion from such passages is that the saints in heaven are aware—very aware—of our circumstances here on earth.

And finally, Christ himself said that the saints and angels are aware of what transpires here on earth: “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7; see 15:10). In Luke 20:36 Christ tells us that the saints in heaven are “equal to the angels.”

The Bible is also clear that we can honor the saints, who shine with God’s own glory as the moon reflects the light of the sun. Christ makes it clear that he gives glory to those who love him. Consider these passages:

John 17:20, 22
  “I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word.
.
..
The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them
” (emphasis added).

Romans 2:6, 10
  “[God] will
render
...glory and honor and peace for every one who does good”
(emphasis added).

Romans 13:7
  “[Give]
honor to whom honor is due
”
(emphasis added).

But are Mary and the saints aware of our prayers? Yes. Let’s say that at any given moment, one million people (a tiny fraction of the world’s total population of over six billion) are repenting of their sins. Christ says that the saints in heaven are somehow aware of each individual repentance. How can this be? Neither the Bible nor Sacred Tradition tells us how, but we do know, on the authority of Christ himself, that this is so. 

Mary and the saints truly are a great cloud of witnesses—praying for us, encouraging us, cheering us on. When we finally cross that heavenly finish line and fall happily into their arms, we will discover just how powerful their assistance on our behalf has really been.

Further Reading:
CCC
, 946–962, 2683–2684