455- A Young Girl Confessing

 In New Jersey, I visited a small family. After having a nice and joyful Bible study, the couple asked to make confession. Followed by them was their elder son and to the surprise, they asked their young daughter who was about 5 years old to confess. The girl refused and started to cry bitterly. I hugged her and started to ask her, “Do you know what confession is?”

“No.”

“Do you love Jesus?”

“Yes, I do so much.”

“So, that is confession; that we say we love our Father Jesus.”

The girl ran to her mother full of joy and happiness telling her, “Mom, I confessed. Do you know Mom what is confession?”

“What is confession?”

“It’s to say that we love our Father Jesus.”

We sat all together and I started to explain to the American mother the meaning of confession, “Confession starts with God’s great love to us, so we comprehend Christ’s salvation to us. And as we understand His great love, we discover that He’s the sin Forgiver and the righteousness Giver. His Holy Spirit then lightens our weaknesses and sins, so we do not become dispirited or pessimistic. Rather we take refuge in the cross and we enjoy God’s love to us.”

Confession is as St. Augustine says: “We confess thankfully to God, our sin forgiver and our Glory Giver and we confess our sins and weaknesses.”

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: طفلة صغيرة تعترف!

God I confess that You are a Wonderworker in my life.

I thank You for a blessing you offered me.

I confess that I am a sinner and weak.

But with You, I get righteous, stronger and I grow.

In confession, I offer You only a true repentance.

I fear neither sin nor Satan with all his power,

For, You are the One who gives Victory and righteousness.

In confession, I don’t get embarrassed before the Priest,

Since I don’t see his hands on my head,

Rather, I see Your Holy Spirit who forgives me my sins and sanctifies my life.

The Pig, the Colt and the Ass

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

The Happy Ant