A Child's Guide to Confession by Ancient Faith Publishing

A CHILDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE TO CONFESSION

A Childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to Confession

Illustrated by Nicholas Malara

Ancient Faith Publishing chesterton, indiana

Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at http://store.ancientfaith.com/a_childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s_guide_to_confession/

A Child’s Guide to Confession Illustrated by Nicholas Malara Ancient Faith Publishing Chesterton, Indiana

A Child’s Guide to Confession Text copyright © 2019 Ancient Faith Publishing Illustrations copyright © 2019 Nicholas Malara Published by: Ancient Faith Publishing A division of Ancient Faith Ministries PO Box 748 Chesterton, IN 46304 ISBN: 978-1-944967-45-1 Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. New Testament quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., and are used by permission. store.ancientfaith.com Interior book design of A Child’s Guide to the Divine Liturgy by Amber Schley Iragui. Elements of that design are repeated here in A Child’s Guide to Confession. A special thanks from the Ancient Faith Editors to Elissa Bjeletich and Fathers Noah Bushelli, Nicholas Speier, and Andrew Stephen Damick for giving input on the text.

CO NTE N TS

Welcome

What Is Confession?

Preparing for Confession

Self-Examination

A Selection of Prayers

A Prayer after Confession

A Short Note to Parents

Glossary

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W E L C O M E to A Child’s Guide to Confession. We at Ancient Faith Publishing are excited to offer you this small book to use as an aid for children participating in the beautiful Sacrament of Confession. This book was designed with several things in mind: C We divided the book into color-coded sections so that each part is easy to find. C We have intentionally kept the text brief to encourage more thinking—more praying—and less reading. C We included illustrations and vocabulary for the very young child, as well as prayers, quotes, and psalms for the benefit of older children. C The glossary at the end defines terms and vocabulary that are often heard throughout the liturgical year and that especially relate to the Sacrament of Confession. C We included a short note to parents, knowing that adults have substantial influence over the spiritual lives of young children. Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at http://store.ancientfaith.com/a_child’s_guide_to_confession/

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. — john

15:5

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w h at i s c o n f e s s i o n ?

Imagine seeing Jesus Christ standing in a beautiful grove of trees. Imagine all of the love and beauty and light and goodness that is just beaming out of Him. He is calling to you! But something is standing in your way. Sin has the habit of standing between you and God. Sin covers our hearts, making our souls dark, bringing confusion to our minds. But sin is easily dealt with! We have a mighty weapon ready and waiting that wipes sins clean.

That weapon is confession. Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at http://store.ancientfaith.com/a_childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s_guide_to_confession/

What Is Confession? CON FE SSION :

Is a holy sacrament of the Orthodox Christian Church Is life-changing every time, but especially if you prepare thoughtfully Heals our souls and brings peace and comfort to our hearts and minds Builds humility and spiritual strength Allows our spiritual father an opportunity to help guide us And it returns us to God and reconciles us with our community! Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at http://store.ancientfaith.com/a_childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s_guide_to_confession/

p r e pa r i n g f o r c o n f e s s i o n

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. A S K YO U R SE L F. . . What kind of friend am I to God? Am I a faithful friend? Do I speak often with Christ? Do I turn to the Holy Spirit for advice? Do I talk behind His back? Do I tell Christ my secrets? Do I love Him? When preparing for confession, find a peaceful place where you can sit and pray and think. If it helps, have a pencil and some paper handy to help you remember what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to confess to your priest. Always start by asking the Holy Spirit to help you. This is not a time to worry; it is a time to be honest and prayerful. God will meet you in this moment!

Create in me a

clean heart. Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at http://store.ancientfaith.com/a_childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s_guide_to_confession/

Preparing for Confession

Enter the church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. s t. john chrysos tom

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s e l f - e x a m i n at i o n

There are many ways to prepare for confession. It is helpful to have a guide so that your confession will be full and complete. You will be speaking to God directly, reminding Him that you believe in Him, that you are one of His disciples, and you will be saying sorry for the things you have done that have created distance between you and Him. Here, we use the great passage on love, 1 Corinthians 13, as our guide. This meditation on love will help you consider those parts of your life that may need healing. Before looking over the questions, which is best to do at least an hour before you meet with your priest, pray to the Holy Spirit first, asking for His help! Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at http://store.ancientfaith.com/a_childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s_guide_to_confession/

Self-Examination

p r ay e r t o t h e

Holy Spirit O Heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, who are in all places and fill all things: Treasury of good things and Giver of Life: Come and dwell in us, cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O good One. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Prayer to the Holy Spirit

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Self-Examination

l ov e s u f f e r s l o ng ; l ov e d o e s no t e n v y

Have I been impatient? Have I wanted a possession that someone else has? Have I been envious of someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beauty, talents, or good fortune?

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Self-Examination

l ov e i s Â k i n d

Have I hurt a person or an animal on purpose? Have I broken something on purpose? Have I been caring when someone gets hurt? Have I ignored someone who needed help?

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