Confession and communion are very important Church Sacraments in which Orthodox Christians take part. Without such Sacraments, union with God is impossible. Man's nature is damaged by sin. Sins inflict wounds on the soul, and if one does not repent of his deeds before God, then the body will inevitably fall ill. Therefore, confession and communion can be called the healers of the human soul and body.
Does everyone need to repent?
A true Orthodox Christian does not imagine himself without repentance. Each person has a huge number of sins: envy, adultery, slander, idle talk, money-grubbing, covetousness, lust, love of mind, condemnation and many others. Unrepentant and hidden sins are very dangerous. They can lead to a disorder of the mental and mental state of a person. Sincere repentance, with heart contrition, is necessary for all people.
What does true repentance mean?
True repentance consists in seeing one's sins. One must realize that which is a sinner. In this case, you must correct your life and follow the commandments of God. Confession is given to us so that we can conceal our misconduct and ask for God's help to correct ourselves and get rid of passions. In no case can you find yourself an excuse for what you have done. You should also be aware that bad thoughts are also sins. God sees through us and nothing can be hidden from God.
For many people, the first confession is a very difficult step. But you need to do it. After all, only God is able to give strength to fight sins. The Lord can forgive us only if we sincerely repent. The first sign of the beginning health of the soul is the vision of his sins, countless, like sea sand.
Communion (communion)
The sacrament is the most important Sacrament, in which an Orthodox believer receives the Body and Blood of the Savior in the form of bread and wine. Communion gives strength to a person for a blessed life. Confession and communion are inseparable from each other, although it is possible to confess without the sacrament, but on the contrary, no. Confession is required before communion. If a repentant sincerely, with contrition in his heart, tells God about his sins, he can hope for the mercy of the Lord in forgiveness. Between the penitent and God there is a mediator (priest) who visibly gives absolution. After the confession, believers receive the Holy Communion.
Preparing to Receive the Holy Secrets of Christ
Holy Communion requires preliminary preparation: fasting (at least three days), strengthened prayers (morning and evening rules) with attention and reverence, alms, doing good deeds, correcting one's life, fighting sins, refraining from entertainments, excluding viewing depraved and entertaining gears. On the eve of Communion (in the evening), you must be in the service of the Church. After midnight, food and water are not allowed. The morning before communion should begin with the reading of morning prayers and the rule for Holy Communion. In addition, you need to read the canons of the Savior, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Guardian Angel. The bowl should be approached with pure thoughts, with purity of mental and physical.
In order to properly prepare for participation in the Sacraments, which are confession and communion, you can purchase special literature in the Church Shop. You can also consult with the priest beforehand how best to prepare yourself for repentance. It is very important to know that after confession and communion one should lead the life of an Orthodox Christian, follow God's commandments, otherwise everything will be in vain. You can deceive yourself or a priest, but this will not work with God. The grace given to man by God will help in life. Incredible lightness and tranquility are felt in the soul after the adoption of the Sacraments.