English Faith Study - Confession and Spiritual Healing I Part 1

Summary of Key Wellness/Spiritual Strategies (Confession & Spiritual Healing)

Core mindset shift: from fear to healing

• Stop approaching confession as a “courtroom” or legal transaction.
• Reframe confession as relational and healing—a “hospital” for the soul.
• Replace fear, embarrassment, and guilt-driven thoughts with restoration and reconciliation.

“CPR” for the spiritual journey (armor for spiritual warfare)

A simple pattern to remember:

• C — Confess
• P — Pray
• R — Repent

Purpose: divine authority and closeness to God, leading to spiritual healing.

Understand confession as metanoia (inner change)

• Metanoia = change of mind + change of heart + turning back to God.
• Repentance is not just admitting mistakes—it is returning to God.
• Rooted in Christ’s work: Jesus gives authority to forgive sins to the apostles, continuing through bishops/priests.

Accountability + spiritual guidance (anti-isolation)

• Confession is meant to break isolation caused by sin.
• Spoken confession helps the “darkness lose its secrecy.”
• Like a doctor’s checkup, a priest offers spiritual guidance/medicine tailored to the person.
• Encouraged to develop one trusted spiritual father who knows you and can guide you consistently.

Practical emotional/emotional resilience during confession

• Expect that doubts can be intrusive (described as spiritual warfare—“the devil lurking”).
• When fear arises:
  • seek guidance from your priest
  • trust the healing nature of the sacrament
• Healing often includes emotion (e.g., tears) as pride/shame barriers break.

Ongoing process, not a one-time fix

• Confession is not an overnight cure.
• If you fall again:
  • return to confession repeatedly
  • keep working through the pattern with spiritual direction
• Failure isn’t final—repentance is the beginning.

Example referenced: St. Peter denied Jesus, then repented and was restored.

Important clarification: confession vs personal prayer

• Personal confession to God through prayer (e.g., Psalm 51) is real and encouraged.
• Sacramental confession is distinct because it adds:
  • accountability
  • humility
  • communion within the Body of Christ

Spiritual illness = distorted relationship with God

“Spiritual illness” is described as conditions like:

• loss of spiritual clarity
• inability to focus in worship
• difficulty loving others
• distortion of one’s image of God
• guilt/sins/compulsions that keep someone away from God’s glory

Preparations before confession

• Don’t rush in unprepared—use the church’s preparation resources (mentioned a specific preparation page in the Holy Qurbonar/Kurban context).
• Preparation supports:
  • readiness to confess
  • trust in God’s forgiveness
  • ability to be accountable and healed

Guidance for timing/frequency during Lent and beyond

• Confession is available throughout the year (not only during Great Lent events).
• Frequency varies by the person and is determined with the spiritual father/priests.
• General encouragement: try to confess regularly (examples given: once a year for some; sometimes every few months for others).
• For those who haven’t confessed, the recommendation is to start, especially during Great Lent.

Lent duration clarification (50 days vs 40-day fast)

• The fast is 40 days, but the overall season is longer (up to about 50 days).
• It includes the continued journey through Holy Week, the path toward the cross, and a resurrection-focused ending.

Q&A takeaways (important boundaries)

• Confessing over the phone: not typical; confession is described as requiring face-to-face presence with the priest.
• Confession during Holy Week: “yes and no.”
  • Often not done during the main Holy Week days
  • May be possible around Holy Saturday
• If you repeat the same sin:
  • keep returning to confession
  • work through it steadily with your spiritual father

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Presenters / Sources (mentioned)

Presenter / Instructor

• Achin: Jachin / Achen (wikar, St. Gregorius Orthodox Church of Kansas City)

Church leadership mentioned (apostolic authority)

• Priests
• Bishops

Biblical / Patristic sources cited

• St. John 20:23 — authority to forgive/retain sins
• St. James 5:16 — confess trespasses; pray for healing
• Leviticus — confession connected to repentance/sacrifice in covenant restoration
• Nehemiah 9:2–3 — confession restores community/covenant
• Psalms 51 — repentance and personal responsibility (“Have mercy on me”)
• Godfather Part 3 (illustrative movie example: confession scene)
• St. Basil the Great
• St. John Chrysostom — quote: be ashamed when you sin, not when you repent
• St. Cyprian of Carthage
• Moses, Elijah, Jesus’ fasting (40 days referenced)
• Prodigal Son (Luke/parables reference; used repeatedly)
• St. Peter — denial, tears, restoration

Other names mentioned

• Jiza Kuchima (spouse/coach mentioned in intro context)
• Matt Alexanderin (speaker’s spiritual father mentioned by name)
• J. (greeting/thanks at the start; partial name only)