For the past three weeks I have reflected on the three sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. It is through these sacraments that we receive the new life of Jesus Christ. However, as St. Paul reminds us, we carry this treasure “in earthen vessels” (2 Cor. 4:7). While still living here on earth we are subject to suffering, illness, and death. The new life that we now have as a child of God can be weakened and even lost by sin.

Jesus Christ is the physician of our souls and our bodies. Throughout the gospels we encounter Jesus healing those who suffered from physical illnesses, and freeing those oppressed by sin. Jesus will that his Church continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his ministry of healing and salvation, through the two sacraments of healing: Penance, and the Anointing of the Sick.

This week I am going to reflect on the sacrament of Penance, also called Reconciliation, and even Confession. The sacrament of Baptism does cleanse a person of all sin; both Original Sin and personal sin. Yet the journey of a disciple of Christ is not easy, and sometimes we fail to live as Christ wants us to live. St. John the Apostle wrote, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 Jn 1:8). St. John also notes that there are both “deadly” sins, which we call mortal sins, and sins that are not “deadly,” which we call venial. Venial sins weaken our union with Christ, but does not destroy the sanctifying grace within us. After making a daily examination of conscience we can make an act of contrition to receive forgiveness of venial sins. Mortal sins, however, kill the divine life (sanctifying grace) within us. Only the sacrament of Penance, can forgive these sins and thereby restore us to a state of sanctifying grace.

While we should avoid the attitude that we are committing mortal sins everyday, we also need to avoid the other extreme, that we can never commit a mortal sin. There are three conditions needed for a sin to mortal. First, it must involve grave or serious matter. Basically violating any of the 10 Commandments or 8 Beatitudes would be grave matter. The Church provides a clear guide for what is grave matter. Second, we have to have full knowledge that what we are doing is grave matter. Now, we cannot play games and just not bother to find out what the Christ, through His Church teaches. We call that “vincible” ignorance, in other words we could have easily found out if a matter was grave and we just did not bother to find out. We will be held accountable for vincible ignorance. Finally, we must give free consent of the will to do the action which we know is gravely wrong. We cannot be forced into it.

The Roman Catechism teaches, “Penance requires … the sinner to endure all things willingly, be contrite of heart, confess with lips, and practice complete humility and fruitful satisfaction. These three – contrition, confession, satisfaction – are what we call the acts of the penitent.

Contrition is “sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again” (CCC #431). Contrition is “perfect” when it arises from a love of God which is above all else. Contrition is “imperfect” or “attrition” when it is more motivated by a fear of punishment. Imperfect contrition is also a gift of God, as it disposes a person to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.

Confession of sins to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance. All mortal sins, both number of circumstances, must be confessed to the priest. Since our sins effect the entire Body of Christ, we need to confess them to someone who can receive our contrition on behave of the Church. Plus, Christ entrusted the power of “loose or bind” sins to the Apostles, and their successors.

Finally we must make satisfaction. The way I explain this to children preparing for First Penance is imagine that you have been told not to play ball along the side of the house, but you do it anyway. And then you break your neighbor’s window. Now you go apologize to your neighbor and he forgives you. But there is still one thing that needs to be done; somebody has to fix the broken window. This is what satisfaction is. If our sin wrongs our neighbor, we must repair the harm (e.g., return stolen goods, restore the reputation of someone slandered, pay compensation). Yet sin also injures the sinner and their relationship with God. Absolution takes away the sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. Now Christ Jesus has paid all the wages for our sins, but we unite ourselves to that by doing the penance the priest gives you. It is a partial sign of your sorrow for your sin and commitment to amending your life.