A Sunday Thought to Start the Week Off Right
Continuing with our Sunday series focused on "perfect contrition," let's re-emphasize the importance and benefit of perfect contrition. In Perfect Contrition: The Golden Key to Paradise, Rev. J. Von Den Driesch explains:
The Christian who has had the misfortune of losing sanctifying grace recovers it chiefly in two ways: through Confession and through perfect contrition. Confession is the proper and ordinary means of regaining sanctifying grace. But this means is not always at hand, therefore God in His goodness has given us an extraordinary means, and this is perfect contrition.
Even if we're not inveterate mortal sinners, we may occasionally perform an act, say something, or dwell on some thought that's egregious enough to cause us to wonder whether we've committed a mortal sin. Ideally, we understand the conditions needed to make a sin mortal. But rather than rely on our ability to objectively self-evaluate, the habit of making acts of perfect contrition will help us avoid unnecessary doubt and anxiety.
...we are not infallibly certain whether we are in the state of sanctifying grace. The certainty is increased by every act of true and perfect contrition.
But perfect contrition need not be considered a purely "defensive" tactic. Just as with the Sacrament of Confession, we stand to garner the graces we need to fight temptation and avoid sin by acts of perfect contrition. Not only that, but the punishment due to the sins we've committed can be lessened as well.
...grace in the soul is increased by every act of perfect charity and contrition, and an increase of a degree of grace is worth more than all the riches of the world. By every act of perfect charity and contrition venial sins and imperfections, which are the stains of the soul, are forgiven, and the soul becomes ever more beautiful before God. By every act of perfect charity and contrition temporal punishment due to sin is remitted. Think of Mary Magdalene, of whom Our Lord said: ‘Many sins are forgiven her because she hath loved much.’ In this connection we highly prize indulgences, good works, almsgiving, and justly so; but here is something even better, here is charity, the Queen of Virtues. Finally, every act of perfect charity and contrition confirms the Christian ever more in good, he becomes stronger to resist evil, so that he may hope for the great grace of final perseverance.
We all know that we will die someday. The tricky part of this, though, is that we don't know when. With that understanding, a practical suggestion:
You are continually exposed to many dangers and you may meet with an accident when least expecting it...Having met with one of these accidents, you may be carried dying into the house, and people may run for the priest; but before the priest can come it is too late, and you need him so badly! What can be done? Interiorly make an act of true contrition, of contrition from a grateful love towards God, towards your suffering Savior, and you will be saved forever; then will perfect contrition be for you a key to heaven at the last moment, in the last great need of body and soul.
The key here is to develop the habit of making acts of perfect contrition. If you've developed the habit of perfect contrition as a matter of course, on a daily basis, you're more likely to be able to do so under extreme conditions.
Rev. Von Den Driesch further explains:
...what the catechism teaches is the duty of every Christian in danger of death, namely, a cry of sorrow and a prayer to God for contrition.
But we must expand our efforts here to include not only ourselves, but our neighbor as well.
...the compassion which you have for your own soul in danger of death, you must also have for your fellow Christians in similar cases. How foolishly do people often act at such a time! They run to and fro, stand about lamenting, yell to one another, run for the doctor, for the priest, for water, for any remedy, while the dying person is nearing his last moments – and perhaps there is no one that thinks of his immortal soul, to use the few precious moments remaining in trying to save it by repeating the act of perfect contrition.
Having spent time with a dying person, I can attest to the importance of feeling at ease with praying for them, even praying with them in their last moments. Here are the author's suggestions if you encounter a dying person:
In such a case, go quietly and gently to the sick and dying person; place the crucifix before his eyes when that can be done; ask him in a low voice to direct his thoughts to what you are saying, and to pray with you; repeat to him slowly and distinctly the act of contrition, even if he seems to hear and understand nothing. Thus you will have performed a great act of charity, and the dying person will thank you for it eternally in heaven. You can, in this way, assist even a dying person who is not a Catholic. Without speaking to him of confession, make with him an act of the love of God, of the love of our crucified Savior, and then repeat to him slowly the act of contrition.
Isn't that a beautiful and powerful instruction? Imagine being God's agent at such a time. Compare this to anything else of worth you may have accomplished in your life.
We Catholics need to take responsibility first and foremost the salvation of our own souls. But we can't ignore the souls of others. Most of us won't be standing on a soap box to proclaim the gospel to the four corners of the earth. But all of us can recollect ourselves enough to make an act of perfect contrition when it matters most.
The Christian who has had the misfortune of losing sanctifying grace recovers it chiefly in two ways: through Confession and through perfect contrition. Confession is the proper and ordinary means of regaining sanctifying grace. But this means is not always at hand, therefore God in His goodness has given us an extraordinary means, and this is perfect contrition.
Even if we're not inveterate mortal sinners, we may occasionally perform an act, say something, or dwell on some thought that's egregious enough to cause us to wonder whether we've committed a mortal sin. Ideally, we understand the conditions needed to make a sin mortal. But rather than rely on our ability to objectively self-evaluate, the habit of making acts of perfect contrition will help us avoid unnecessary doubt and anxiety.
...we are not infallibly certain whether we are in the state of sanctifying grace. The certainty is increased by every act of true and perfect contrition.
But perfect contrition need not be considered a purely "defensive" tactic. Just as with the Sacrament of Confession, we stand to garner the graces we need to fight temptation and avoid sin by acts of perfect contrition. Not only that, but the punishment due to the sins we've committed can be lessened as well.
...grace in the soul is increased by every act of perfect charity and contrition, and an increase of a degree of grace is worth more than all the riches of the world. By every act of perfect charity and contrition venial sins and imperfections, which are the stains of the soul, are forgiven, and the soul becomes ever more beautiful before God. By every act of perfect charity and contrition temporal punishment due to sin is remitted. Think of Mary Magdalene, of whom Our Lord said: ‘Many sins are forgiven her because she hath loved much.’ In this connection we highly prize indulgences, good works, almsgiving, and justly so; but here is something even better, here is charity, the Queen of Virtues. Finally, every act of perfect charity and contrition confirms the Christian ever more in good, he becomes stronger to resist evil, so that he may hope for the great grace of final perseverance.
We all know that we will die someday. The tricky part of this, though, is that we don't know when. With that understanding, a practical suggestion:
You are continually exposed to many dangers and you may meet with an accident when least expecting it...Having met with one of these accidents, you may be carried dying into the house, and people may run for the priest; but before the priest can come it is too late, and you need him so badly! What can be done? Interiorly make an act of true contrition, of contrition from a grateful love towards God, towards your suffering Savior, and you will be saved forever; then will perfect contrition be for you a key to heaven at the last moment, in the last great need of body and soul.
The key here is to develop the habit of making acts of perfect contrition. If you've developed the habit of perfect contrition as a matter of course, on a daily basis, you're more likely to be able to do so under extreme conditions.
Rev. Von Den Driesch further explains:
...what the catechism teaches is the duty of every Christian in danger of death, namely, a cry of sorrow and a prayer to God for contrition.
But we must expand our efforts here to include not only ourselves, but our neighbor as well.
...the compassion which you have for your own soul in danger of death, you must also have for your fellow Christians in similar cases. How foolishly do people often act at such a time! They run to and fro, stand about lamenting, yell to one another, run for the doctor, for the priest, for water, for any remedy, while the dying person is nearing his last moments – and perhaps there is no one that thinks of his immortal soul, to use the few precious moments remaining in trying to save it by repeating the act of perfect contrition.
Having spent time with a dying person, I can attest to the importance of feeling at ease with praying for them, even praying with them in their last moments. Here are the author's suggestions if you encounter a dying person:
In such a case, go quietly and gently to the sick and dying person; place the crucifix before his eyes when that can be done; ask him in a low voice to direct his thoughts to what you are saying, and to pray with you; repeat to him slowly and distinctly the act of contrition, even if he seems to hear and understand nothing. Thus you will have performed a great act of charity, and the dying person will thank you for it eternally in heaven. You can, in this way, assist even a dying person who is not a Catholic. Without speaking to him of confession, make with him an act of the love of God, of the love of our crucified Savior, and then repeat to him slowly the act of contrition.
Isn't that a beautiful and powerful instruction? Imagine being God's agent at such a time. Compare this to anything else of worth you may have accomplished in your life.
We Catholics need to take responsibility first and foremost the salvation of our own souls. But we can't ignore the souls of others. Most of us won't be standing on a soap box to proclaim the gospel to the four corners of the earth. But all of us can recollect ourselves enough to make an act of perfect contrition when it matters most.
Happy Sunday!
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