A Sunday Thought to Start the Week Off Right
Since we began our Sunday series dedicated to the Sacrament of Confession, we've been assaulted by public revelations of the illegal and immoral actions of priests, bishops, and cardinals over many decades. What's been revealed shows the depravity and degradation that result from sin. Along with any disgust and anger with our guilty clergy, we might remind ourselves that all sin offends God.
Knowing this, we understand the importance of seeking forgiveness. In the Act of Contrition we pray: "...I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend Thee my God, Who art all good and worthy of all my love." Ideally, our love motivates us to seek forgiveness the moment we become aware of committing a sin. And we've learned from Pardon and Peace by Father Alfred Wilson that, besides the Sacrament of Confession, there are many ways to obtain forgiveness of our sins:
...many works of virtue as means of expiating sin, notably almsgiving, the corporal works of mercy, prayer, and fasting. ‘Numerous,’ says Galtier, ‘are the ways by which pardon for venial sin may be obtained. As a general rule, it may be said that to seek it is to obtain it, provided always that sorrow is there … It is possible, therefore, to speak of the ease with which the remission of venial sins may be obtained from God by one who is in the state of grace.’ Venial sin may expiated by a quick trusting return to God with humble acknowledgement of the fault and protestation of undaunted trust in His mercy; by devout use of the sacramentals, e.g., holy water; and by any act of virtue, especially by acts of fraternal charity.
It's really important that we understand how to seek forgiveness quickly simply because...
...it is easy to fall into semi-deliberate venial sin; and it is unlikely, to say the least of it, that our Savior would have allowed it to be easy to fall and difficult to rise.
These other means of seeking forgiveness in now way mitigate the Sacrament of Confession, nor the importance of developing the habit of devotional (regular) Confession:
We know from experience the beneficial ‘tonic’ effect of devotional Confession, which has an effect on the soul similar to that of a hot bath on the body. It renews our vigor and enables us to keep spiritually fit. It is sun-ray treatment for the soul. If we neglect frequent Confession our spiritual life soon begins to languish and decline. Bad habits gain renewed strength, temptations are harder to conquer, spiritual truths seem unreal, and we lose our sense of contact with the Master. Quite rightly we make a great point of keeping physically fit; it is infinitely more important that we should keep spiritually fit. Spiritual fitness is essential for spiritual health as physical fitness is for physical health. If we keep in training spiritually, we shall be able to take in our stride obstacles which prove insurmountable to the spiritually flabby. If you have not already done so, join the ‘keep-fit’ movement of frequent devotional Confession.
Father Wilson summarizes the reasons we should practice devotional Confession and urges us to consider each carefully:
1. It deletes sin. The Sacrament has special efficacy. 2. It remits the temporal punishment due to sin, and does this more effectively than ordinary acts of virtue because of Sacramental efficiency. 3. It heals the soul from the evil effects of sin. 4. It has an incomparable power of restoring peace of soul. Making a clean breast of things gives us the maximum relief of mind and powerfully restores our resolution. 5. It gains us a right to actual graces for future combats and supernaturally strengthens our purpose of amendment. 6. It is a powerful moral and educational force, which fosters self-knowledge and self-control, gives insight into human nature, and makes us more sympathetic and understanding and therefore more helpful to our fellow-men. 7. Confession to a fellow-man helps to knock the conceit out of us and nullifies a grave danger to personality and salvation. 8. It enables us to get useful advice and surer guidance. 9. It increases sanctifying grace and the fervor of charity.
I hope you're finding this series helpful. We'll continue with another installment next Sunday. If you haven't been to Confession in a while, consider doing so soon. If you haven't been aware of your ability to seek forgiveness right away when you've sinned, start developing the habit.
Knowing this, we understand the importance of seeking forgiveness. In the Act of Contrition we pray: "...I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend Thee my God, Who art all good and worthy of all my love." Ideally, our love motivates us to seek forgiveness the moment we become aware of committing a sin. And we've learned from Pardon and Peace by Father Alfred Wilson that, besides the Sacrament of Confession, there are many ways to obtain forgiveness of our sins:
...many works of virtue as means of expiating sin, notably almsgiving, the corporal works of mercy, prayer, and fasting. ‘Numerous,’ says Galtier, ‘are the ways by which pardon for venial sin may be obtained. As a general rule, it may be said that to seek it is to obtain it, provided always that sorrow is there … It is possible, therefore, to speak of the ease with which the remission of venial sins may be obtained from God by one who is in the state of grace.’ Venial sin may expiated by a quick trusting return to God with humble acknowledgement of the fault and protestation of undaunted trust in His mercy; by devout use of the sacramentals, e.g., holy water; and by any act of virtue, especially by acts of fraternal charity.
It's really important that we understand how to seek forgiveness quickly simply because...
...it is easy to fall into semi-deliberate venial sin; and it is unlikely, to say the least of it, that our Savior would have allowed it to be easy to fall and difficult to rise.
These other means of seeking forgiveness in now way mitigate the Sacrament of Confession, nor the importance of developing the habit of devotional (regular) Confession:
We know from experience the beneficial ‘tonic’ effect of devotional Confession, which has an effect on the soul similar to that of a hot bath on the body. It renews our vigor and enables us to keep spiritually fit. It is sun-ray treatment for the soul. If we neglect frequent Confession our spiritual life soon begins to languish and decline. Bad habits gain renewed strength, temptations are harder to conquer, spiritual truths seem unreal, and we lose our sense of contact with the Master. Quite rightly we make a great point of keeping physically fit; it is infinitely more important that we should keep spiritually fit. Spiritual fitness is essential for spiritual health as physical fitness is for physical health. If we keep in training spiritually, we shall be able to take in our stride obstacles which prove insurmountable to the spiritually flabby. If you have not already done so, join the ‘keep-fit’ movement of frequent devotional Confession.
Father Wilson summarizes the reasons we should practice devotional Confession and urges us to consider each carefully:
1. It deletes sin. The Sacrament has special efficacy. 2. It remits the temporal punishment due to sin, and does this more effectively than ordinary acts of virtue because of Sacramental efficiency. 3. It heals the soul from the evil effects of sin. 4. It has an incomparable power of restoring peace of soul. Making a clean breast of things gives us the maximum relief of mind and powerfully restores our resolution. 5. It gains us a right to actual graces for future combats and supernaturally strengthens our purpose of amendment. 6. It is a powerful moral and educational force, which fosters self-knowledge and self-control, gives insight into human nature, and makes us more sympathetic and understanding and therefore more helpful to our fellow-men. 7. Confession to a fellow-man helps to knock the conceit out of us and nullifies a grave danger to personality and salvation. 8. It enables us to get useful advice and surer guidance. 9. It increases sanctifying grace and the fervor of charity.
I hope you're finding this series helpful. We'll continue with another installment next Sunday. If you haven't been to Confession in a while, consider doing so soon. If you haven't been aware of your ability to seek forgiveness right away when you've sinned, start developing the habit.
Happy Sunday!
Comments