Well, it’s a common view…and perhaps it’s even accurate sometimes. I won’t talk about (or justify) the Church’s teaching that confession is the only ordinary means by which a Christian can receive forgiveness for mortal sins committed after baptism.

I will point out one of the real benefits of confession…and say that it was perhaps for this reason that confession with a priest was conceived (conceived not by Church authorities, but by Christ Himself).

Not too long ago, I noticed my wife having trouble keeping up with the daily house work. The most visible sign of this was the laundry. With six children, I could hardly blame her. As a matter of fact, since I hadn’t taken much of an interest, I guess I was the one to blame.

So we made an agreement…laundry would become my responsibility. It was difficult at first. It took me a long time to get it all caught up. But eventually, the dirty laundry baskets were empty, and all the dresser drawers were full. And for the next several months, I kept up by washing and folding one load per night.

Throughout that time, I noticed a change. In the beginning, I had this sense of accomplishment every time I sat down to fold. I would smell my favorite fabric softener, feel the warm ‘just out of the dryer’ cloth against my face, and enjoy the softness of the fabrics. But more and more, this sensation left me.

After two months, I no longer enjoyed it at all. It’s not that I minded the work, but I’d lost that ‘child like’ delight in clean clothes. It didn’t disappear, it changed. Instead of being excited by the smell of clean laundry, I became horrified by the smell of dirt. I would tolerate no stains. Everything had to be clean.

This isn’t limited to laundry. Every man who’s mowed the lawn remembers marveling at the even grass, and breathing in that smell of finished yard work. If he puts his heart into it, he soon becomes obsessive…running out to kill weeds, and shuddering over the thought of unruly edges.

Confession is the same way…almost. On the one hand, after the repeated act of ‘cleaning soul’, we begin to recognize the smaller sins…and avoid them at all costs. We sharpen our spiritual skills. This is a long process, but it does happen with frequent confession.

At the same time, it’s different because we never stop feeling exhilarated by the fresh innocence we receive as we obtain absolution. It’s new and exciting every time.

These are the treasures hidden within that little box in the corner of the church. Purification and cleansing…which leads to spiritual growth. When non-Catholics may disapprove of the confessional being used as a dumping ground for sins, I have to wonder where they dump theirs.