Admission of fault
Meditation…
Every act of ours must fall under judgment, and God wants us to judge ourselves instead of Him judging us.
“If we judge ourselves, the Judge is pleased with us.”¹
As one of the saints says, because in our judgment of ourselves there is our dissatisfaction with our faults, and our confession of deserving punishment, and our request for God’s mercy. The one who does not judge himself has, in his depths, pride that refuses to admit the fault—pride that is shattered when he admits his mistakes.
Some—even if their faults become visible to them—try to justify them, excuse them, or clothe them with the garment of righteousness with a kind of manipulation, so that they may appear before people without blemish. Yet in reality they have blemishes… What do such people gain from people’s opinion of them—whether good or bad?! Will God judge them on the Last Day based on people’s opinion?!
The shame we bear now for our faults is better than the eternal punishment in the other world.
Saint Macarius said to a sinful young man: “Judge yourself, my brother, before they judge you.”
In our confession of our fault there is a desire not to repeat the fault, because our souls are revolted against it; whereas in our lack of confession there is insistence on the fault and stubbornness.
Some fear to say that they have erred, thinking that this is against their dignity, while this stubbornness harms their dignity even in people’s eyes. And on the contrary, the one who confesses that he has erred—people love him and honor him even more, and perhaps they lighten the burden on him and seek excuses for him.
Do not be, my brother, like Adam and Eve, who tried to justify themselves, nor like their son Cain… And do not be like the Pharisee who tried to appear righteous even before God, while the tax collector was justified because he confessed his fault.
We have all erred. So do not be ashamed to confess your fault and to change your conduct. And trust that your dignity will increase in the eyes of people. Herod did not increase in dignity when he insisted on his position, held to his word, and killed John the Baptist. Would that he had gone back on his word—it would have been better…
An article by His Grace Bishop Shenouda, Bishop of Education – Al-Keraza Magazine, first year, issue four, April 1965
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