The consequence of sin When we allow ourselves to become entangled in evil, we will suffer the consequences of evil, which is either:  Eternal punishment if we do not turn from sin and accept God’s forgiveness and love  Temporal punishment Corrects us by showing us the evil of sin We can “pay this debt” by drawing closer to God and others  Penance, prayer, attending Mass, fasting, almsgiving, mercy, patience in suffering, etc.

Contrition Sincere sorrow  Hate for sins we have committed  Firm purpose to sin no more We must have contrition to receive forgiveness  This is the most important part of the sacrament of Penance

When is it true contrition? *Hint (four qualities—the garment of contrition—see pgs ) Interior  It comes from our heart Supernatural  Comes from grace, not just fear of penalty Supreme  Willing to suffer rather than sin and offend God Universal  We are sorry for all our sins

Perfect and Imperfect Contrition Perfect  Sorrow because our sins offend God, who we should love above all things Sorrow for loving something else more than God, turning our back on his friendship Imperfect  Sorrow only because we know sins are bad, or only because of fear of punishment Not necessarily worried about having turned our back on God’s friendship

What is Confession? Going to the priest, to tell our sins, in order to obtain forgiveness (through absolution)  We confess every mortal sin which has not yet been confessed and forgiven  We confess any venial sins, in order to obtain further grace to conquer them as well to not endanger ourselves by convincing ourselves that a serious sin is not that serious

A good confession *Hint (there are three chief qualities—see pg197) A good confession is characterized by  Humility It was truly my fault  Sincerity I am telling the truth: honestly, frankly  Entirety I am not leaving anything out Remember, the priest may not reveal anything confessed to him

What power does the priest have? Christ chose to commission his apostles and successors to offer forgiveness to souls  “Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.” Only God has the power to forgive sins  However, he may choose the means (method) He chose the apostles and their successors to stand in his place (“as the Father sent me now I send you”) He may give his forgiveness in other ways as well He is not limited by the sacrament he created

A worthy Penance To receive a sacrament worthily is to  Receive it honorably  To fulfill the requirements To receive Penance worthily we must:  Examine our conscience  Be sorry for our sins  Have the firm purpose not to sin again  Confess our sins to a priest, and  Be willing to perform the penance the Priest gives

Examination of Conscience An examination of conscience is a sincere effort to call to mind any sins we have committed since our last confession  We should ask God for the grace to know ourselves truly to be truly sorry for the sins we have committed

The effects of a worthy Penance Restoration and/or increase of sanctifying grace Forgiveness of sins Remission from eternal punishment (if necessary) and partially the temporal punishment  Some temporal punishment is good since it helps us to understand that sin is evil and to avoid it Help to avoid sin in the future Restoration of our merit lost by mortal sin

What is merit? The right to a reward for good actions done for love of God or neighbor When we do good for others unselfishly because of love for them (and God), we build up treasure in heaven.  Not interested in personal gain or worldly credit

Medicine for the Soul Do not rush this sacrament Take ample time to consider Christ, who longs to renew his friendship with you Do not put off going to confession

Review:5 point questions 1. Who can forgive sins? 2. What is the sacrament of penance? 3. What is absolution? 4. What is an examination of conscience?

Review: 10 point question 1. What is remission of sin, and how does it relate to this sacrament? 2. What is merit, and how does it relate to this sacrament? 3. What is temporal punishment and how does it relate to the sacrament? 4. What is contrition? How does it relate to this sacrament?

Review: 15 point questions 1. What are the 5 effects of a worthy penance? 2. What must we do (5 things) to receive a worthy penance? 3. What should we do before our examination of conscience (2 things), and how can we make a good one (3 things)? 4. What are the past, present, and future signs of the sacrament of penance?