This post began as a seemingly nonsensical thought as I was enjoying the sun while my wife and sister-in-law went shopping in a high class mall. Somewhere in my mind developed the thought of placing a confessional booth in place of a kiosk. I live in a heavily populated Catholic community. Confessional booths would be a natural thing and I like to refer to myself as a priest, so the two just naturally fit. Or so it seemed.
What happened next was my considering what really happens in a confessional booth and would the visitor get their money's worth? I know what happens in a traditional relationship between Catholic priest and visitor. In that setting, the visitor may or may not get what they are paying for. If I were the priest, I would want my visitors to get all they paid for. So the question is what would I be marketing and would it be enough for the confessor?
I am in the habit of praying for people. I even pray that God will forgive them of this and that. I am now questioning how effective my requests might be? Does forgiveness by God for other people happen sometimes and yet not others? I don't know.
And then there is the BIGGEST question of all. If I can pray for the forgiveness of sins for a person, why can't I pray and have him/her receive salvation? That happens in the traditional confessional, right? What is wrong with that line of thinking?
This is really important before I go and franchise my new line of confessional kiosks...
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