Confession & Friendship
Can I see a relation?
ചങ്ങാത്തം എന്ന് പറയുന്നത് ഒരു കുമ്പസാരക്കൂട് ആവാനുള്ള ക്ഷണമാണ്
എന്നെ ലജ്ജിപ്പിക്കാത്ത
എന്നെ തലകുനിച്ച് നിൽക്കാൻ പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കാത്ത
എന്നെ പിന്നെയും അണച്ചു പിടിക്കുന്നഎല്ലാം അറിഞ്ഞിട്ടും സ്നേഹിക്കുന്ന ഒരിടം കണക്ക്..
ഒരു കുമ്പസാരക്കൂട് കണക്ക് ഭംഗിയുള്ള സൗഹൃദങ്ങൾ ഭൂമിയിൽ ഉണ്ടാകട്ടെ.. 🌸
-Fr. Boby Jose Kattikad OFM cap
Friendship is an invitation to become like a confessional.
I am not shamed;
I am not asked to keep my head down
Again I am held closer (as in an embrace)Even after knowing everything, a place where I am loved.
May earth have friendships like confessional.
-Fr. Boby Jose Kattikad OFM Cap
Though some of the sense is lost in translation, words of Fr Boby Jose are so deep that even worse translations capture a little bit. Have you ever seen this link between confession and friendships. Though I love both, I have never thought in this way.
As a priest, the question that is constantly echoed to me, can I offer that in confessions?
As a friend, the question remains the same…
What is that offer in both the cases? I think, in one way, it is an ability for the person to see oneself truly through God’s eyes. Unconditional and non-judging; to see the beauty of you and me, which is still there even at the moments of our darkness, pain, sin and suffering.
Confessions (as a sacrament) can be understood by friendship; friendship can be enriched by confession. If you have a powerful experience of one, and don’t have the other one, try exploring. It is not so much an unfamiliar territory.
Jesus says, “I no longer call you servants, but friends.”
Be merciful as your heavenly father is merciful (Or Jesus says : “I am merciful”)
