The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast) · Ascension

Two Bible Verses & A Song Before Confession

·25 min·1 clip

The priest said, “I’m ready to hear your confession. I love you,” and Jeff says it stopped him cold.

1. The Jeff Cavins Show 451, “Two Bible Verses & A Song Before Confession,” centers on a confession practice built from Psalm 51, John 20:21-23, and C.C. Winans’ “Goodness of God.” 2. Jeff Cavins hosts the show as a Catholic Bible teacher, and he frames the episode around discipleship, scripture, and evangelization. 3. The episode asks what happens when a person brings two Bible verses and one song into confession. 4. Jeff says the idea came from three separate moments that converged during one confession, not from a formal preparation guide. 5. He begins with a recent confession where the priest said, “I’m ready to hear your confession. I love you.” 6. Jeff says those words stopped him for 15 to 20 seconds and made him choke up before he could start confessing. 7. He links that moment to the Catholic idea of the priest acting in persona Christi. 8. Jeff explains prevenient grace as Jesus drawing a person toward confession before the decision is fully made. 9. He says the same words, “I love you,” were repeated after absolution and deepened his response. 10. He turns to Psalm 51 as the first text and identifies it as David’s prayer after Nathan confronted him. 11. Jeff quotes, “Have mercy on me, O God,” “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,” and “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” 12. He says Psalm 51 fits confession because it names sin directly and asks for a new and right spirit. 13. Jeff highlights, “Against thee, thee only have I sinned,” as David’s heart of repentance. 14. He points to “Cast me not away from thy presence” and “Restore to me the joy of thy salvation” as language for returning to God. 15. Jeff describes the sacrifice God wants as “a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart.” 16. He then reads John 20:21-23, where Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” breathes on the disciples, and gives the power to forgive or retain sins. 17. Jeff says that passage matches Psalm 51 because both focus on mercy, forgiveness, and restored relationship. 18. The final section uses C.C. Winans’ 2021 song “Goodness of God,” especially the lines “All my life you have been faithful” and “Your goodness is running after me.” 19. The tone is personal, reflective, and pastoral, with Jeff moving between story, scripture reading, and direct encouragement. 20. Listeners who want a Catholic approach to confession will likely benefit most; listeners wanting a tight theological lecture may skip it.

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