Posted on 4/12/2013, 12:09:12 AM by Salvation
Lesson 30 from the Baltimore Cathechism
Contrition is sincere sorrow for having offended God, and hatred for the sins we have committed, with a firm purpose of sinning no more.
Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unjust man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord; and he will have mercy on him. (Isaiah 55:7)
God will not forgive us any sin, whether mortal or venial, unless we have true contrition for it.
Now therefore saith the Lord: "Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting and in weeping and in mourning. And rend your hearts and not your garments. (Joel 2:12-13)
Sorrow for sin is true contrition when it is interior, supernatural supreme, and universal.
Create a pure heart for me, O God, and renew in me a steadfast spirit. (Psalm 50:12)
Our sorrow is interior when it comes from our heart, and not merely from our lips.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Psalm 50:19)
Our sorrow is supernatural when, with the help of God's grace, it arises from motives which spring from faith and not merely from natural motives.
Our sorrow is supreme when we hate sin above every other evil, and are willing to endure any suffering rather than offend God in the future by sin.
Our sorrow is universal when we are sorry for every mortal sin which we may have had the misfortune to commit.
Turn thy face away from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. (Psalm 50:11)
We should try to have sorrow for all our venial sins when receiving the sacrament of Penance, and, when we have only venial sins to confess, we must have sorrow for at least one of them or for some sin of our past life which we confess.
We should have contrition for mortal sin because it is the greatest of all evils, gravely offends God, keeps us out of heaven, and condemns us forever to hell.
If anyone does not abide in me, he shall be cast outside as the branch and wither; and they shall gather them up and cast them into the fire, and they shall burn. (John 15:6)
We should have contrition for venial sin because it is displeasing to God, merits temporal punishment, and may lead to mortal sin.
There are two kinds of contrition: perfect contrition and imperfect contrition.
Our contrition is perfect when we are sorry for our sins because sin offends God, whom we love above all things for His own sake.
Create a pure heart for me, O God, and renew in me a steadfast spirit. (Psalm 50:12)
Our contrition is imperfect when we are sorry for our sins because they are hateful in themselves or because we fear God's punishment.
And the children of Israel said to the Lord, "We have sinned. Do thou unto us whatsoever pleaseth thee, only deliver us this time." (Judges 10:15)
To receive the sacrament of Penance worthily, imperfect contrition is sufficient.
We should always try to have perfect contrition in the sacrament of Penance because perfect contrition is more pleasing to God, and because with His help we can always have it.
A person in mortal sin can regain the state of grace before receiving the sacrament of Penance by making an act of perfect contrition with the sincere purpose of going to confession.
If we have the misfortune to commit a mortal sin, we should ask God's pardon and grace at once, make an act of perfect contrition, and go to confession as soon as we can.
Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways and live? (Ezekiel 18:23)
We may not receive Holy Communion after committing a mortal sin if we merely make an act of perfect contrition; one who has sinned grievously must go to confession before receiving Holy Communion.
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. (I Corinthians 11:27)
The firm purpose of sinning no more is the sincere resolve not only to avoid sin but to avoid as far as possible the near occasions of sin.
Go thy way, and from now on sin no more. (John 8:11)
If a person has only venial sins to confess, he must have the purpose of avoiding at least one of them.
The Baltimore Catechism:Part Two: The Commandments, The Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Commandments of God
The Baltimore Catechism: Part Two: The Commandments, The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Commandments of God
The Baltimore Catechism: Part Two: The Commandments, The Second and Third Commandments of God
The Baltimore Catechism: Part Two: The Commandments, Honoring the Saints, Relics, and Images
The Baltimore Catechism: Part Two: The Commandments, The First Commandment of God
The Baltimore Catechism: Part Two: The Commandments, The Two Great Commandments
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, The Resurrection and Life Everlasting
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, The Communion of Saints and the Forgiveness of Sins
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, The Marks and Attributes of the Church
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, The Catholic Church
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, The Virtues and the Gifts of the Holy Ghost
The Baltimore Catehcism: Part One: The Creed, The Holy Ghost and Grace
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, The Redemption
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, The Incarnation
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, Actual Sin
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, The Creation and the Fall of Man
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, Creation and the Angels
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, The Unity and Trinity of God
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, God and His Perfections
The Baltimore Catechism: Part One: The Creed, The Purpose of Man's Existence
Baltimore Catechism Ping for Lent and Eastertide!
An Act
of
Contrition
| O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and 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 are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. |
Amen.
That act of Contrition is similar to the one I learned from my father as a little girl, but not exactly. I don’t know why.
O My God,
I am heartily sorry for
having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins
because of Thy just punishment,
but most of all because they offend Thee, Oh my God,
who art all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve,
with the help of Thy grace,
to sin no more,
and to avoid the near occasion of sin.
That’s how I originally learned it too.
Then the “because I dread the loss of heaven,
and the pains of hell;” was added to further explain the one line.
And lastly......do the penance was added because people would forget it.
I still have a difficult time remembering those two changes.
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