Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! There are twenty-three (23) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and five (5) canons in the Code of Canon Law which can help us to appreciate the Sacrament of Penance. The following is a reflection on CCC, 1492.
Repentance or contrition inspired by motives relevant to the faith, as one of the three acts of the penitent, is a major part of the Sacrament of Penance. There are at least three different psychological elements to repentance: the intellectual, the emotional, and the volitional. It is one thing for us to recognize that we have sinned and that sin is evil, it is another thing for us to be sorry for our sins, and still yet another to want to avoid sin (and it’s near occasion) in the future. True repentance is not superficial, but rather goes to the very depth of one’s being. The intellectual aspect flows from our very nature as rational animals from whom God expects reasonable service (cf. Romans 12:1; logikos latreia in Saint Paul’s Greek; rationabile obsequium in Saint Jerome’s Latin).
Perfect Contrition is motivated by love of Charity towards God who is love. This is the most relevant motive of faith which we can have for sorrow for sin. God is love (cf. 1 John 4:8). When we fail to love the Lord who is love with all our heart, soul and mind, we sin (cf. Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). After admitting our sins in the Sacrament of Penance the penitent actually prays a prayer which is called a “perfect Act of Contrition” which is as follows: My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us. In His Name, my God, have mercy. Amen.
Imperfect Contrition is motivated by other motives. One motive which is relevant to the faith but not sorrow for sin because of the love of God is to not want to go to Hell, to suffer eternally in hellfire, with eternal separation from God, the torments of devils and other damned souls. Both Dante’s Inferno and Saint Patrick’s Purgatory depict sufferings in the next life, which while motivated by reasons of faith, no doubt, are more self-centered than based upon the supernatural love of charity which is required for perfect contrition.
God is God, and while He prefers perfect contrition, He is willing to work with us who fail to meet that mark. In point of fact, imperfect contrition is only imperfect in us. For God desires not the death of the sinner, but that we be converted and live, and there is nothing imperfect in God (cf. Ezekiel 33:11).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr