'Before I proceed farther I exhort every one of you to
make a general confession, if you have not as yet made one. And I now
speak not only of those whose confessions have been sacrilegious on
account of having concealed sins, or invalid for want of sufficient
examination of conscience, or of sufficient sorrow; but I speak of all
who wish to be permanently converted to God. A general confession is a
great means of bringing about a true change of life. After her
conversion to God, St. Margaret of Cortona told all her sins to her
confessor, and thereby made herself so pleasing and dear to God, that
our Lord himself spoke to her and called her, "My sinful one; my poor
little one." She one day said to Jesus Christ: "Lord, when wilt Thou
call me Thy daughter?" Jesus Christ answered: "When thou hast made a
general confession of thy whole life then I will call you my daughter."
She made a general confession, and from that time Jesus Christ always
called her his child.'
