He who is accustomed to give account of his life at confession here will not fear to give an answer at the terrible judgment-seat of Christ.
It is for this purpose that the mild tribunal of penitence was here instituted, in order that we, being cleansed and amended through penitence here below, may give an answer without shame at the terrible judgment-seat of Christ.
This is the first motive for sincere confession, and, moreover, it must absolutely be made every year.
The longer we remain without confessing, the worse it is for us, the more entangled we become in the bonds of sin, and therefore the more difficult it is to give an account.
The second motive is tranquillity: the more sincere has been our confession, the more tranquil will the soul be afterwards.
Sins are — secret serpents, gnawing at the heart of a man and all his being; they do not let him rest, they continually suck his heart; sins are—prickly thorns, constantly goring the soul; sins are— spiritual darkness.
Those who repent must bring forth the fruits of repentance.
St John of Kronstadt
My Life in Christ Part II
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