“Get Up and Go to the Father” A Living Guide to Preparing for the Sacrament of Confession

“Get Up and Go to the Father”
A Living Guide for Preparing for Confession

“Sins are like shadows: the closer you are to God, the smaller they become.”
St. Nicholas of Serbia

1. Get into a Prayerful State

Confession isn’t just listing your mistakes it’s a meeting with Love. A return to the Father’s embrace. For it to bring true healing, your soul needs to be ready.

“If you want to be with God, step away from the crowd.”
St. Anthony the Great

Say your morning prayers or read the Canon in Preparation for Communion.

Then pray simply:
“Lord, show me my sins. Help me see the truth about myself.”

Take a moment of silence. Turn off music. Put your phone away. Step out of the rush.

2. Remember Your Sins

“Don’t say: ‘I’ve sinned so what?’ Remember, God is patient but He also judges.”
St. John Chrysostom

Use a list of sins or reflect on the Ten Commandments.

Write down what comes to mind it helps keep focus.

Ask yourself: what sins keep repeating? Why?

3. Let Your Heart Break

“A broken heart is the altar where the fire of repentance burns.”
St. Theophan the Recluse

Don’t just name your sins feel them. Regret them. Let your heart ache.

Don’t make excuses. Don’t blame others.

If you feel shame that’s a good sign. Your conscience is alive.

“While the sin is hidden, it belongs to you. Once confessed, it no longer does.”
St. Paisios of Mount Athos

4. Humble the Body

“If you want to see your soul — humble your body.”
St. Isaac the Syrian

A day or two before confession, try to fast a little eat less, talk less, avoid distractions.

This little fast will soften your heart and sharpen your spirit.

5. How to Confess

Come early. Say a short prayer before the icon.

Stand before the priest, make the sign of the cross, and begin with:
“I confess my sins to Almighty God and to you, Father...”

Speak simply. Honestly. No justifying. No storytelling.

Don’t be afraid the priest is not your judge. He’s a witness to your repentance.

“God doesn’t forgive everything you name — only what you truly repent of.”
Archimandrite John (Krestiankin)

6. After Confession

Thank God from the heart:
“Glory to You, O Lord, for lifting me up.”

Keep your inner peace.

Don’t go back to old habits. Fight sin with God's help.

“The one who repents isn’t the one who never falls — but the one who keeps getting up.”
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

Be Careful: “Checklist Confession” Is a Trap

“You can say, ‘I went to confession’ and stay exactly the same. That’s not repentance. That’s just routine.”
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)

A formal, heartless confession is one of the devil’s cleverest tricks. You show up, list your sins, hear the prayer but inside, nothing has changed.

That usually means:

• Your heart wasn’t broken;

• You didn’t truly want to change;

• You didn’t pray: “Lord, make me new.”

“Repentance without change is not repentance it’s self-deception.”
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

What Is Metanoia and How Do You Reach It?

Metanoia (μετάνοια) means a deep change — of mind, of heart, of life.
True repentance isn’t just feeling bad — it’s turning your life around.

You know it’s real when:

• sin no longer feels normal;

• you start to hate the evil you used to ignore;

• peace and joy come like the prodigal son held in his Father’s arms.

Metanoia Is a Journey, Not a Moment

• Ask God sincerely to change you.
  “Without God, it’s not metanoia just self-pity.”

• Don’t expect instant results.
  But do get up every time you fall.
  Repentance is a path not a one-time fix.

• Choose good, even in small things.
  Forgive. Stay quiet. Be humble.
  That’s metanoia life, step by step, being changed by grace.

Receive Communion Often and Read the Gospel

That’s where strength for change comes from.
Without Christ’s Body and God’s Word repentance won’t last.

And Never Forget:

“We repent not because we’re bad, but because God is so incredibly good.”
St. Silouan the Athonite

Don’t be afraid to start.
God is always waiting.
He never gets tired of loving you.