The story is told of the young monk who was asked by his superior to take a basket down to the river, fill it with water and bring it back to the monastery. Eager to please, the young man grabbed the basket, hurried to the river and filled the basket with water. However, by the time he returned to the monastery the basket was empty.
Once again, he headed to the river with the basket. As before, the water seeped through the bas- ket, and it was empty by the time he arrived back at the monastery.
Not to be deterred, the young man set out a third time, filled the basket with water and hurried back to the monastery. Upon his return the prior, who was wearing a knowing smile, was waiting for him.
By now the younger man was frustrated and told his superior that the task he had given him was impossible to complete and that all his effort was useless because no matter how often he filled the bas- ket with water, it was always empty by the time he returned. The wise prior simply directed the young monk to look at the basket and told him to notice how much cleaner the basket was, not only on the outside but on the inside as well.
The story is one I sometimes share with people when they complain they confess the same sins over and over when going to the sacrament of reconciliation. On the surface, it seems as if we are making little progress, but that’s because we tend to look at it as a task we accomplish. Then, much like the young monk, we lose sight of what is really taking place.
Like the basket that was being cleansed when it was filled at the river, a hidden and even more important effect is taking place inside our soul when we receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Each time we confess our sins, we humble ourselves before God who is purifying us from within. That’s the truth that often eludes us.
Every sacramental encounter is an encounter with Christ. We can’t see the purifying action of grace within, but God is always more concerned about cleansing the inside of the heart rather than what is perceived as an impurity on the outside.
Every time we confess our sins, we grow, not only in humility, but in self-knowledge; self-knowledge and knowledge of God go hand in hand. Each informs the other. Recall the story of the publican who, not even daring to raise his eyes to heaven prayed, “Lord, have mercy on me a sinner” was the one who went home justified before God. (See Luke 18:11-14).
On the surface, we may not look any different after receiving the sacrament, and we may continue to struggle with the same sins, faults and failings, but with each sacramental encounter we are changed. So, the next time you’re tempted to delay or post- pone receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, you might reflect on the story of the young monk and the basket of water.
That’s not to say we should be content with our confession sounding like a laundry list that we recite time after time. Every confession should be preceded by a prayerful and thoughtful examination of conscience. And even though we fail, we should still resolve not to sin and ask God for the grace to be faithful.
God is a God of surprises and rarely acts in our lives the way we expect. We are called to trust that God knows our needs and our potential better than we do. Instead of looking for personal progress, which can delude us, we do well to trust in the mercy and forgiveness of God. Jesus assured us of this when he breathed on the apostles and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” ( Jn 20:23).
Catholics are truly blessed to have the sacrament of reconciliation so readily available. Sadly, it has fallen out of favor for many. If you find yourself among those who think that confession is only for those who have committed serious sins, think again. Many saints received the sacrament weekly, some popes, even daily. Most parishes offer a communal penance service during Lent when multiple priests are available for confession.
As you continue your Lenten journey, resolve to make the sacrament of reconciliation an important part of your 40-day pilgrimage of the heart, mindful of Jesus’ words: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8).
Barbara Hughes is an author, retreat facilitator and spiritual guide. She lives in Virginia Beach and can be reached at [email protected].