Let’s do a little thought experiment and see whether the passage of time is morally significant, shall we? I challenge the laity, my fellow priests and bishops, the Pope himself to point out any errors.
The scene is a 62 year old reminiscing just to do it with his new priest:
- “I mean, I was only twelve years old, and my on-the-spot-pointed-out target looked like he was my age too but my friend who was going to let me shoot his new .50 BMG said that that kid was like different because he wasn’t born here and told me that like this was a test of my loyalty to the country and I thought I was only going to shoot a tree or something but he pointed out this kid and told me to just aim above his left ear for that distance as he hadn’t straightened the sights out yet but that’s was a good place to aim and so I did what I had to do and yes I know the kid died because like his whole head exploded above his shoulders, like a little cloud of red vapor, and no I didn’t go to Confession about it then and I haven’t since because at first I was afraid and then it was like I was a hero like my reputation preceded me and so I just never confessed it even though I did mention to a priest once like ten years later but he said that I shouldn’t worry about it ’cause it was like a long time ago, like ten years after it happened and I’m only telling you now like 50 years later because I remember it all every hour of every day and every night and I can’t sleep and I’m like crazy my whole life carrying this around and I don’t know where to turn or what to do because it just feels like I should like confess it like to God but no priest will listen to me because it was so long ago and so it’s like irrelevant today and that kid would be my age right now and have a family and… and… sob… sob… sob…“
So, what should the priest say? I would simply make the sign of the cross and help him with just a few words to speak to the moral irrelevance of the mere passage of time as God will hold us responsible for that which we’ve done no matter how long a time intervenes. I would say that if we should sincerely ask for God’s forgiveness He will forgive us. I would make quick examples of how we are all still subject to the consequences of original sin from so long ago despite that sin being wrought so long ago, and how the redemption wrought for us with Christ Jesus is still relevant to us today despite being wrought some 2000 years ago. So what he did merely in 1972 is still relevant to his life and eternal life today. And even if a zillion years should pass before the final judgment, God will hold our moral choices to be relevant to that judgment when He will judge the living and the dead and the world by fire. I would say ask a few more questions to make the confession integral, going through the commandments, help him make an act of contrition, and give him an absolution and a penance.
- “So, like, I can actually have hope of going to heaven some day, like, I’m actually forgiven by Jesus?”
- “Yes.”
- “Sob… sob… sob” but this time with tears of joy.
But what would the liberal-idiot priest say? He would simply say “Fugetabatit, it happened a long time ago, so what-eh-vur.” And the now 62 year old kills himself…
Analogy: Pretty much all bishops say that the purposed live abortions back in the early 1970s to get living organs from those then very dead because murdered babies so as to research and develop and test “vaccines”, direct murders, not some double-effect crap, but directly doing an evil to achieve a “good”, all in a direct line of consequence through time, is all good because it happened a long time ago. Bull shit. Bishops and priests who say that do no favors to the Lord’s Little Flock and do no favor to themselves.
Jesus said that what you’ve done to the least of these you’ve done to me. Do we disbelieve him? How about it, Pope Francis? Are you going to tell me to shut up like you’ve told others to shut up about this?
ARISE! LET US BE GOING! 
This direct look at the facts is much needed, much more often. Thank you, Father
Your comments touched me deeply. Not because I have shot anyone but because I could appreciate the man’s fear, anxiety and relief. I once went to confession to a liberal shepherd who told me using the Lord’s name in vain wasn’t anything to worry about – that he did it too. I raised up and told him I was going somewhere else for confession because I didn’t want to go to hell with him and walked out. Nasty of me, huh?
I still think I did the right thing. Confession is hard enough if you do it right. Thanks for telling it like it is Father, keep it up.
Wow, Joisy Goil! How did I miss this comment? You might have helped turn this Priest around by letting the Lord use you for that purpose. “Sensus Fidelium,” indeed.