Spirit Daily

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Lent Is The Time To Search Our Souls And Break Evil Bondage Through Confession

By Michael H. Brown

[adapted from Secrets of the Eucharist by Michael H. Brown]

During Lent, as we look inwardly, as we purify, and as we wait for the ultimate sacrifice of Our Lord, it's good to realize that it's through His radiance -- the fire of Jesus -- that our sins are burned away. The Lord purifies with heavenly flames that issue out of His Heart. They come from the furnace of His love. Our evil is evaporated in the Presence of Christ and is especially dispelled through Confession.

Confession prepares the way for the Eucharist and breaks the bonds of Satan. In verbally admitting our faults we are declaring a humility that immediately chases away the devil. He can not stand to be in our midst. He is the prince of pride. He cannot bear to stand in the presence of humility. He is powerless when a person is humble. He has no legal right to hold terrain.

When we confess sins we are renouncing sins, which means we are renouncing the devil. When we renounce the devil in the Name of Jesus, He has no choice but to leave. His chains are broken. His hold on our hearts and minds is lessened or expelled altogether.

During Communion, demonic infestations are often chased from our very bodies, or from around our families and friends.

The stronger a Confession, the more demonic residue is cleared.

The more demons that are expelled, the more peace.

That's why I always emphasize that before receiving Communion we should pray to the Holy Spirit to reveal any hidden faults we have never acknowledged and then take these to the confessional.

A good time for such soul searching is during Adoration. We should ask the Holy Spirit to allow us expiation of the slightest sins.

Go back to Scripture and note the many things that are listed by Paul as infractions, things we don't usually take to be of much consequence. Jealousy. Outbursts of anger. Selfishness. They're listed in Galatians with lewd conduct and sorcery (5:19-21)!

After we recollect all past transgressions -- after we pray to heal all those we have ever hurt -- we must maintain vigilance against repeating them. Confession should be a monthly ritual to keep ourselves pure, because when we are pure -- when Christ has deigned to wipe clear the slate of those many sins -- Communion and Adoration become all the more potent. They take on a special radiance. They sweep to the very bottom of existence and purge faults that will otherwise cause a long purgatory.

There is nothing more enjoyable than the feeling of a spiritual cleanliness -- nor is there anything more important for the soul's destiny. At least once a year, during Lent, we should prepare a special Confession and search for hidden faults that we have not previously realized. When we finally recognize that we've been doing something offensive to God -- when we confess a sin that we had previously failed to notice -- we are graced with inner peace.

That peace comes through liberation from past bondages. Communion becomes a powerful tool of deliverance. It's like the Lord snipping a rope that had been tying up a part of us. There's a feeling of strength and cleanliness. There's liberation. As Jesus said, "If you live according to My teaching, you are truly My disciples; then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).