reconciliation

Concupiscence

Baptism cleanses the soul of Original Sin (i.e., restores sanctifying grace to the soul), as well as all personal sins, and turns us back towards God. However, we still experience the consequences of Original Sin in a fallen human nature that is weakened and inclined to evil (concupiscence). Conscupicence is the weaken will and disordered desire we possess as a result of our fallen state. We are inclined to sin, and even after Baptism, each person has to struggle to live a life modeled on Jesus Christ (p. 108).

"Jesus"

The Messiah will save his people from their sins. The scribes and Pharisees consider Jesus’ claim of forgiveness of sins to be blasphemous. They correctly understood that only God can forgive sins. If Jesus claimed to forgive sins, he was claiming to be God. Therefore, if he were not God, then he must be a blasphemer.

Peter – Keys of the Kingdom

Christ gives St. Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven with the power to bind and loose. In Matthew 16:19, Christ says to St. Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Apostolic succession

Christ extended this power to all the Apostles the evening after his Resurrection when he said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven: if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Just as Christ used physical healing to demonstrate he had the divine power to forgive sins, he also gave the power to heal to St. Peter and the Apostles.Through Apostolic Succession, that is, through the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

Celebration of Reconciliation *early Church *today

Sts. Matthew, Paul, and James urged members of the Church to confess their sins to one another and to avoid contact with those members who were guilty of grave sins. The Sacrament of Penance was celebrated in the early Church A grave sinner would publicly confess their sins before the bishop, who would impose a penance. Once the penance was completed, the bishop would publicly pronounce absolution. Then the sinner would be welcomed back into the community.

Christ institute the Sacrament of Reconciliation

Christ gave St. Peter and the Apostles his power to forgive sins, which they passed on to the bishops they ordained.

Ministers of Confession

The Bishop or Priest. The bishop has the primary authority to forgive sins. Priests cooperate with him in this ministry. The minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a bishop or priest who is bound by the “seal of Confession” never to reveal what he has heard in Confession. The “seal of Confession” prohibits the confessor from revealing anything told him in Confession under pain of excommunication.

Absolution and penance

We must be perfected before we enter into the presence of God in Heaven. A soul with the stain of sin or owing satisfaction for sins already forgiven must be purified in Purgatory before entering Heaven. We desire to repair our relationship with God and our neighbor, which we have damaged through sin.

*General absolution

God the Father has reconciled the world to himself. He has done this through the Passion of his Son. He has sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sin. The Church is the minister of this Sacrament.

Indulgence

An indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin that has already been forgiven.

Natural law

It is the eternal law as applied to human conduct. Extension: Natural law is usually defined as man’s participation in the eternal law. There are two sources of the natural law: Reason and Divine Revelation. The ultimate expression of natural law can be found in the Ten Commandments and in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Matter of confession

Matter: The penitent’s acts: contrition (sorrow), confession of sins, and satisfaction (penance) Form: “I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Explanation: These words effect the forgiveness of sins through Christ’s authority given to the priest.

Conditions for mortal sin

The act must involve a) a serious matter, b) one must have complete knowledge, i.e., know it is seriously wrong; and c) one must have complete consent, i.e., freely commit the act or allow it to happen. The effect of mortal sin is willful separation from God and his sanctifying grace. If one dies in a state of mortal sin, it will result in eternal separation from God.

The steps (components) to making a good Confession

The steps (components) to making a good Confession are: examination of conscience, sorrow for sins, purpose of amendment and the resolution to avoid sins in the future, actual confession of sins, the act of contrition, and penance or satisfaction.

Examination of conscience

It is a review of your moral conduct since your last Confession. It includes acts (thoughts, words, actions, and omissions) and intentions.

Perfect and imperfect contrition

Perfect and imperfect contrition are both valid forms of expressing sorrow for sins.Although perfect contrition is better in the same way that love is superior to fear. Imperfect contrition is expressed in the words, “because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell.” Perfect contrition is shown in the words, “most of all, because they offend you my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love.”

Benefits of frequent confession

Both confession of mortal sins and frequent confession of venial sins give the penitent many graces and benefits, including the forgiveness of sin and a closer identification with Christ. The Church encourages frequent Confession for the benefits that it bestows on our spiritual lives.

Penance

Penance–voluntary self-denial through mortification, prayer, and almsgiving–is necessary for growth in the Christian life.

Sacrilege

it wrong to receive Communion while in a state of mortal sin, that would be another mortal sin, that of sacrilege.

Sin

A sin is any act, word, or desire that violates the eternal law of God. Every sin violates the eternal and natural laws and is a form of idolatry. Our sins personally damage our relationship with God. Sins can be venial, damaging but not destroying our relationship with God, or mortal, depriving us of sanctifying grace and destroying our relationship with God. Mortal sins must be confessed.

Actual sin

Unlike Original Sin, which is a wound we inherit, actual sin is a freely committed immoral action. Mortal sin is an immoral action that destroys our relationship with God. Venial sins are immoral actions that damage, but do not destroy our relationship with God.