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(Lesson 6) -Holy Penance- (Lesson 6)
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Those who approach the sacrament of Penance,
obtain the forgiveness of their sins, thanks to the
mercy of God. At the same time, they Reconcile
themselves with the Church -the Body of Christ-,
to which -to whom-, they wounded with their
sins. The sacrament is called also “of Conver-
sion”, because sacramentally is the call from Jesus
to be converted (Read Mark 1:15). It is called also
“of the Penance” because consecrates a perso-
nal and ecclesial process of conversion, repen-
tance and reparation by the sinner. It is called
also “of the Confession” because is a process to
declare or confess the sins to the priest. It is
called also “of the Pardon” because, by the sacra-
mental absolution of the priest, God concedes
to the penitent “the forgiveness and the peace”.
It is called also “of Reconciliation” because,
grants to the sinner the love of God that recon-
ciles: “be reconciled with God” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20).
It is the call from Jesus Christ to the recon-
ciliation before the offering (your partaking in
the eucharist): “go first and reconcile with your
brother, and then come and present your
offering.”(Matthew 5:24). It is a sacrament of recon-
ciliation after the baptism: “… you were washed,
and sanctified to God. You have been freed
from guilt in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and by the Spirit of our God.” (Read 1 Corinthians 6:11)
This is the greatness of the gift from God after
the sacraments of christian initiation: Baptism,
Confession and Eucharist; that makes us saints
and immaculate before him (Read Ephesians 1:4), as
the same Church, wife of Christ, that is saint
and immaculate before him (Read Ephesians 5:27). Sin
does not fit in “he who has been clothed with
Christ” (Read Galatians 3:27). But, “If we say ‘we have
no sin’, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not
in us.” (Read 1 John 1:8). And the same Lord tells us
when teaching us the Our Father: “Forgive us our
trespasses” (Read Luke 11:4). Therefore, it is necessary
another sacrament to cleans us from the future
sins after the sacraments of initiation, as the bap-
tized continue fighting against the human fragi-
lity and the temptations that leads him to
“incline himself to sin” (traditionally called: con-
cupiscence). This sacrament, that allows us to
cleanse ourselves and reconcile ourselves again
with God, is the Penance & Reconciliation
(Read CCC 1425-1426).
In other words, there are two conversions:
(a) The First and Fundamental Conversion:
For those who do not know Christ and his Gospel.
By the faith in the Good News and by the Sacra-
ment of Baptism, is the renunciation to evil and
salvation, the remission of all sins and the gift of
a new life, is attained (Read Mark 1:15; CCC 1427).
(b) The Second and Uninterrupted Conversion:
Is for all the church that receives sinners, and that
it is saint at the same time, and that it needs a
constant purification, seeking unceasingly for
penance and renewal. It is the “contrite heart”
(Read Psalm 51:19) attracted and moved by the grace of
God to respond to the merciful love of God,
seeking to do his will, and please him with our
deeds (Read CCC 1427-1428). This second uninterrup-
ted conversion is achieved by the “repentance”
and the “confession of sins” through the Sacra-
ment of Penance & Reconciliation; created like
this, by God, a mechanism of purification and
sanctification, that, if it is being done often,
maintains the baptized united to Christ and in
a state of permanent purification that is pleasant
to God. In other words, it is like changing the
oil to the car in a frequent manner, in this way,
the engine functions always in its optimum
point and with oil without dirt. If one does not
change the oil, it comes the moment that the
engine is so dirty that it locks up and stops
working. Therefore, as a recordatory measure,
one must go to confession, as minimum, one
time for each oil change. It is useless to drive a
car with a clean oil and engine, if oneself is
dirty for all the accumulated sin carried within.
It is ironic, but humanity worries more for
cleansing its car, than for cleansing its soul:
“Oh unbelieving and perverse generation!
How long shall I stay with you and put up
with you?” Luke 9:41 (Lee CIC 1422-1498).
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