Rating: 
Summary: My Favorite by Hahn
Review: "Lord, Have Mercy by Scott Hahn has been my favorite of his books. I really enjoyed "Lambs Supper" too, but the one thing i always come away with is this:
I get very into what Scott is saying, he's so easy to read, and then he ends the book! For the price-usually around $20.00, I think he could give us a little more. I really wanted him to say alot more about the sacrament of reconciliation. Now i understand he's written a new book on the sacraments, maybe he expands on this subject.
Between Scott's desciption of the old testament sacrifice, blood and guts details, and mel gibson's Passion of the Christ, we're meeting a much more realistic God. He puts body on issues that have been ultra spiritized by much of the teaching of christianity in our era. That's Hot! thanks again Scott for good work.
Rating:
Summary: Say "I am sorry" - Confession has never been easier
Review: Adam and Eve had a chance to say it. The Jews could say it while sacrificing a high priced animal in front of a priest. But Dr HaHn shows that you have it easy: you can just say it to the elders (priests) of Jesus' own assembly the church he built and hear those wonderful words: "You are absolved of all your sins." Then you'll really be able to give thanks (Gr: eucharist*), but Dr Hahn covers that in another book (the Lamb's Supper).
The book comes complete with the basic rite of confession and examination of concience as appendices. Those appendices should be helpful to anyone who doesn't get to confession as often as the pope and Dr. Hahn.
Rating:
Summary: Every Catholic needs this book
Review: Catholic and finding it difficult to avail yourself of the Sacrament of Confession? Using the old excuse of "I don't need a priest to confess"? Really wanting to go to confession but don't know how or where to start the process? Wondering why the Sacrament even exists? Well, look no further -- this book answers all of these questions. Scott Hahn does a fine job of asking these questions, answering them, and (what is so very useful to Catholics who are not Bible-literate) shows the Biblical basis for the Sacrament of Confession. Hahn's style of writing lends to quick, easy reading. Yet, it is so very powerful. I now use various chapters of the book in preparation for Confession.
Catholic and going to Confession regularly? Still get this book. I think it will only deepen your love for the Sacrament and for the Faith.
Rating:
Summary: Every Catholic needs this book
Review: Catholic and finding it difficult to avail yourself of the Sacrament of Confession? Using the old excuse of "I don't need a priest to confess"? Really wanting to go to confession but don't know how or where to start the process? Wondering why the Sacrament even exists? Well, look no further -- this book answers all of these questions. Scott Hahn does a fine job of asking these questions, answering them, and (what is so very useful to Catholics who are not Bible-literate) shows the Biblical basis for the Sacrament of Confession. Hahn's style of writing lends to quick, easy reading. Yet, it is so very powerful. I now use various chapters of the book in preparation for Confession.
Catholic and going to Confession regularly? Still get this book. I think it will only deepen your love for the Sacrament and for the Faith.
Rating:
Summary: Like an outstanding retreat, only in book form
Review: Do you hate going to confession? Are you afraid to? Do you go only rarely? Do you wonder whether something you do is sinful? Do you ever worry that you made a bad confession? Do you wonder whether your confessions are doing you any good? Are you confused by today's new notions about confession? Or would you just like to deepen your understanding and love of this Sacrament?If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, I have good news! "Lord, Have Mercy" is an insight-packed book that explains the Sacrament of Reconciliation and shows why it's not just a helpful practice but also the key to our spiritual growth. You'll discover why "like bathing, we need confession often"; why "the more we need it, the less we want it"; how denying our sins harms our lives, health, and loved one; and how the author painfully learned all of this the hard way. Dr. Hahn also reveals the insidious ways self-deception and excuses corrupt us; the secret of defeating them; how God DOES make it possible for us to grow in holiness. He also gives us Old and New Testament proofs that God wants us to confess in a ritual sacrament, not just in our hearts and minds; the three components of Old Covenant penance rites; why these rites were difficult to perform; how our Sacraments bring "divine fulfillment" to Old Covenant ones. Plus, the author reveals why it stunned people when Jesus forgave sins; proof that He really did give His Apostles (and their successors) the power to do likewise; the deep, ancient meaning of His words about "binding and loosing"; why He couldn't give His Apostles that power without also requiring that we confess our sins aloud; and seven Church Fathers' and early saints' writings that prove early Christians confessed to priests. Dr. Hahn goes on to relate Confession's crucial relationship to the Eucharist; how to tell mortal sins from venial (and where the BIble distinguishes between them); and how Jesus does more in Confession than we do! In addition, you'll discover seven things the priest does for you in Confession; how when one confesses a mortal sin, "Christ works a greater healing than He worked at the tomb of Lazarus"; how Christ is really "the Priest behind the priest"; plus five reasons why doing the penance you're given is so important. The author likewise teaches you how frequent Confession helps you conquer your sins; how Adam's sin was much more than disobedience; and how God's moral laws "are just as firmly fixed" as nature's laws. The author also tells why even Martin Luther thought of Confession as vital; how we must show mercy if we want to receive it; the many ways to do so daily; the benefits of holding a "family day of jubilee" and how to do it; plus WHY YOU SHOULD BE FILLED WITH HOPE, not discouragement, despite your spiritual struggles. And much, much more. Filled with quotes from Scripture, the saints, the popes and Church documents, "Lord Have Mercy" will make you treasure Confession as never before. Just reading it let graces pour into my soul. And he's humorous to boot! You can't help but benefit from this book, no matter where you stand on the spiritual maturtiy scale. It's like an outstanding retreat, only in book form. It's Heaven-sent for people who were poorly catechised, too. Plus, priests and catechists will find it a gold mine.
Rating: 
Summary: Analysis of confession through the ages
Review: Hahn's "Lord Have Mercy," is a wonderful introduction to the significance of the sacrament of confession. He begins with the Bible and looks at the references made in the book of Leviticus to rituals used to confess sins, and draws paralles with what Jeus's ritual for confession was meant to be, based on writings in the New Teastament.
I give the book for stars rather than five, becuase I was hoping that he would illustrate more biblical references to why confession must be practiced as a ritual, based on the writings in the New Testament. I have struggled much with my church's teaching, because the gospels (loosely) say, Jesus told the Apostles "if you forgive their sins, they are fogiven," but the gospel does not say only if you forgive them then they are forgiven.
Most of Hahan's arguments for confession as a ritual come from the fact that the New Covenant was an improved version of the fundamentals contained in the Old Covenant, and that ritulized confession was a cornerstone of the Old Covenant, and no where abrogated as a practice by Jesus. I never noticed that until he said it, and this is a great point. The Bible does not specify that confession is instrumental in obtaining necessary graces; that is a teaching of the Church based on tradition. I wish that more proof was provided from the Bible, but one of the main distinctions between Catholicsm and Fundamentalism is the refusal of Catholics to endorse a sola scriptura perspective, but to consider the tradition that occurred while the Bible was being pieced together. However, based on Hahn's other books, I expected more support from scripture. Most of his support comes from the Cathechism. This book did not revolutionize the way I perceive confession, in the way that the "Lamb's Supper" revolutionized the way I perceive the mass.
I also regretted that the book did not say what to do, when confession as a sacrament is disappearing from your church. How to organize a process to bring it back. And while he says much about the grace, psychological release, and spiritual direction one receives from a good confession, he left out an important dynamic; that confession is how a priest and eventually a dioscese learns how relevant and realistic implementing church doctrine is in the loves of the faithful. So many people argue that the church is out of touch with reality, but they do not go to confession regularly to say "these are my weeknesses, and this is what I don't understand or struggle with in terms of church law." A priest could never release any information of an individual's sins, but he can take the knowledge of what are the issues in the community to the bishop and better knowledge leads to better policies and relations, and more helpful homilies.
The book includes and appendix with many versions of Act of Contrition Prayers, and an extensive examination of conscience to help you make the most out of your confessionary experience.
Rating:
Summary: An outstanding, accessible, yet scholarly work by Dr. Hahn
Review: I am a sinner, and this book really helped me. This excellent work by Dr. Hahn is timely and sorely needed. In an age when many of us are poorly catechized, there is an urgent need to rediscover our historical, scriptural, and theological roots. At times I think that the Sacrament of Reconciliation has fallen into disuse because Catholics are no longer informed enough to refute false teaching denying the importance of confession. At other times however, I am convinced confession lines are short because we as a culture have lost sight of sin and no longer think sin is dangerous, or even real. This book clearly shows that the practice of confession is historical, biblical, and sorely needed in our modern times. After reading Lord Have Mercy you will know that the Didache and other documents from the early church fathers clearly mention the importance of confessing our sins before receiving the Eucharist. In the early church this was not a private affair between the sinner and Jesus. Rather, sins were confessed publicly, in front the Bishop and Presbyters present. I for one am glad the Church in her pastoral wisdom decided to allow the sacrament to be private, and secret! You will see that Jesus institutes the sacrament in scripture, giving the apostles the power to "bind and loose" sins. You will learn that even Martin Luther, the father of "Sola Fide" teaching, took advantage of the sacrament up until the end of his life. You will discover that C.S. Lewis attended confession regularly with an Anglican monk. Hopefully however, these facts are not all you will walk away with. This work is much more than an apology defending the Orthodox Christian and Catholic sacrament. I should probably include the Lutheran Church with these two as the sacrament is still present in the modern Lutheran rite, although rarely practiced. Rather, this important work is a personal guide to spiritual warfare. Gentle reader, if you are not convinced Satan and Sin are real, please read C.S. Lewis' classic "The Screwtape Letters." If you are convinced that Satan is in fact out to destroy your life and win your soul, buy this book, and learn of one of the greatest tools in the Christian warriors arsenal: the humble, and regular practice of confessing our sins.
Rating:
Summary: Life saving!
Review: I read the entire book in one night then sought out the sacrament of reconcilliation the next morning! It was truly the first time I had made a good confession after reading this book. Thank you Scott for being a great teacher to "Cradle Catholics" and to new and future Catholics. I will never be reluctant to go to confession again!
Rating:
Summary: ANOTHER SUPERB BOOK BY MR. HAHN...
Review: I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK ON THE IMPORTANCE
OF CONFESSION.
ONCE AGAIN SCOTT HAHN HAS WRITTEN A FINE SCHOLARLY
WORK.
THE FIRST BOOK OF HIS WAS "ROME SWEET,HOME".
THAT ALSO WAS EXCELLENT,AS A MATTER OF FACT
IT HELPED ME CONVERT FROM AN EVANGICAL TO
A CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN!
FOR ALL CATHOLICS TO READ AND PONDER.
ALSO YOU PROTESTANT TOO!
DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND READ THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Book on "Our" Sacrament
Review: I think sometimes as Catholics we forget what a wonderful gift the Lord has given to us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This new work by Dr. Hahn not only reminds us of what we really have, but does so in an easy to read and enjoyable format. This is truly one of his best.
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