🚫 Stop Going to the Big Guy! Why You Need the Priest for Forgiveness (Fr. Mark Beard)

Father Mark Beard delivers a powerful and biblically-rooted challenge to the common non-Catholic and even "cafeteria Catholic" belief that one can bypass the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) and go "directly to the big guy." He insists that God chose to work through the priesthood for the forgiveness of sins, and we must obey this divine institution.

The Divine Authority of the Priest:
The Power to Forgive (0:09): Father Beard cites John 20:23, where Christ, after the Resurrection, breathes on the Apostles and says, "Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." He states plainly: "Christ made the man do the work." This mandate created the Sacrament of Confession.

The Old Testament Precedent (0:47): He argues that Confession was always "in play," even in the Old Testament. The Jewish person had to go to the priest with their sacrifice and verbally proclaim their sin before the priest would perform the ritual sacrifice (citing Leviticus 4, 5, and 6). This is the precedent for the priest administering the Sacrament today. * The Purpose of the Priesthood (1:12): He cites Hebrews 5, which says the priest is chosen from among men to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin. Therefore, to say you don't need the priest is to defy the structure God established.

⚠️ The Spiritual Stakes
Sin is Still Sin (1:36): Father Beard warns against the spiritual dangers of minimizing sin, reminding the audience that mortal sin still exists, and you cannot receive the Eucharist while on the Book of Death.

The Unconditional Law (1:50): He concludes with the firm rule: "You're not doing Confession, you're not getting Communion." You cannot negotiate the Sacrament. You must use the tool Christ gave us to clear your soul and get back to the Book of Life.

Do not fall for the lie of "going straight to the big guy." Use the Sacrament Christ gave us to receive the mercy only the priest is authorized to dispense.