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Show 231: The Worthy Reception of the Sacrament of Penance. · The Uncensored Catholic

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Speaker 1: A Hey, y'all, welcome this week's show. We are continuing
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today on the sacrament of penance or confession or reconciliation
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or whatever you want to call it. It's been called
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all the above and more since it was institute. But
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first we'll start with a couple of questions and answers
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from Radio Prize. First question, or ask a very common
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sense question, why are Protestants who believe in scripture so
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convinced that mar had other children? And the priest's answer,
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because they are not inspired by love for Christ, or
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for the Mother of Christ, or for Scripture and their doctrine.
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Their main desires to maintain a doctrine differing from that
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of the Catholic Church. But it is a position which
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is rapidly going out of fashion. Learned Protestant scholars today
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deny as emphatically as any Catholic that Mary had other children.
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When our Lord, dying on the Cross, committed his mother
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to the care of Saint John, he did so precisely
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because he was only child and he knew that Mary
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had no other children to care for her. The idea
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that Mary had other children is disrespectful to the Holy Spirit,
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who claimed and sanctified her as his sanctuary. Insults Christ,
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who was the only begotten son of his mother, even
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as he was the only begotten son of his heavenly father.
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It insults Mary, who would have been guilty of great
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ingratitude to God if she threw away the gift of
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virginity which God had so carefully preserved for her In
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the conception of Christ. It insults Saint Joseph. God had
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told him by an angel to take Mary as his wife,
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so the child born of her had no earthly father,
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but was the very son of God. God merely gave
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Saint Joseph the privilege of protecting her good name amongst
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the undiscerning Jews, and he chose a God fearing man
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who would respect her. Knowing that her child was God
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himself in human form. Joseph at once would regard her
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on a playing far support superior to that of any
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other human being. And to him, as to us, the
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mere thought of her becoming a mother to a merely
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earth children what it seemed to sacrilege. That's all true,
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and in fact Martin Luther even vehemently defended the perpetual
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virginity of the WestEd virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception and
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veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Over the weekend, someone
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I thought was a friend that I've enjoyed talking with
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on a regular basis, mostly about music, posted on social
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media a sacrilegious insult to the Mother of God. And
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I said, I believe you're Lutheran. You know, I know
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you don't understand this. Let me explain to you. We're friends.
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Will do it in mutual respect. I did. I went through.
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He would not listen, would not listen. I started quoting Luther.
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He then disavowed Luther, even though he's a Lutheran. I
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quoted the scriptures. He would not believe them, and then said,
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get away from me, papist, And that was the end
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of our friendship. And I don't understand how Protestants think
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they can hate Jesus's mother and still respect Jesus. That
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makes no sense to me, but they do. Those who
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are anti Catholic, and he had never shown his anti
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Catholic bias before and turned out to be a flaming bigot.
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Really hurt. It, really hurt. I was very upset about
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it for a few days. But those who have an
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anti Catholic basis bias, truly hate Jesus's mother, They hate
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the mother of God. Why well, I tell you who
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hates Jesus's mother, that's the devil, because the Bible says
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the woman will crush his head. That's the only reason
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one would have to have some kind of anger bias,
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hatred toward the blessed Virgin Mary. And so when I
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tell you that anti Catholic, Protestantism, or Orthodoxy, or or
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Judaism or Islam, etc. Those who are possessed by hatred
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for Catholics generally start out by insulting Jesus's mother. And
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there's something very satanic about it. They could be the
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most pious, you know, go to church every Sunday, memorize
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the Bible. But there's something very satanic, very demonic in
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people who react that way. Anyway, a person says, you
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urge these privileges granted Mary as the foundation of your
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devotion to her. Get Christ said, rather bless her, though,
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who hear the word of God and keep it? And
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they answer, of course, would you preserve zoom to say
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that Mary, whom the Angel addressed is full of grace,
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did not hear the word of God and keep it.
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You have missed the sense of the passage to which
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you allude In Luke eleven twenty seven, a woman praise
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the one who had the honor to be the mother
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of Christ. Christ did not for a moment deny it,
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as you would like to believe, the sense of his
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words were simply, yes, she is blessed. But better to
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hear the word, to hear God's word and keep it,
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and thus attain holiness than to be my mother. You
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cannot at all imitate Mary by being my mother, but
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you can do so by hearing God's word and keeping it.
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The thought that those who hear God's word and keep
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it are rather blessed than Mary, because she is simply absurd. Henceforth,
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declared Mary, prophetically, all generations shall call me blessed Luke
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one forty eight. And Elizabeth salutes over the words blessed
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are at the almong woman women Luke one forty two.
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Person says, how do you prove Mary's bodily assumption to heaven?
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And they answered, no question could dispute the fact that
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Mary's soul was in heaven. Christ certainly did not suffer
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the soul of his own mother to be lost. The
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doctrine of her bodily assumption after her death is not
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contained in scripture, but is guaranteed by the tradition and
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by the teaching of the Catholic Church. That scripture amidst
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the record is that Scripture admitst record the fact, is
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no argument against it. Omission is not denial. Meantime, early
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traditions positively record the fact, and negatively. We note that
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whilst the mortal remains of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
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are jealously possessed and honored by Rome, no city or
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Christian sinner has ever claimed to possess the mortal remains
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of our lady. Certainly, relics of our Lady would be
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regarded as having greater value than those of any sant
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or apostle. So nearly was she related to Christ, and
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it was most fitting that the body of Mary, who
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had been preserved even from the taine of original sin,
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should not have been allowed to corrupt. After all, it
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was just as easy for God to take her glorified
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body to Heaven at once as it will be to
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take the glorified bodies of all the saved on the
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last Day. However, the definite sanction of this doctrine by
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the Catholic Church is sufficient assurance of that fact. All right,
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let's get into now Part three on the Sacrament of
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reconciliation or Penance's father. Spiago calls that are confession, as
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we normally do in normal talking. In normal speech, I
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guess I should say so, he says, on the topic
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of the worthy reception of the Sacrament of pennants, no
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rule can be laid down here is in regard to
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Holy Communion concerning the time to be employed in preparation,
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to have to get a sip of water here, get
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a little tickle on my throat. All right, there we go.
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So the reality of contrition, not the length of our
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previous preparation, is what is of true importance. However, a
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few minutes are not enough. Noah was one hundred years
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in building the arcs of Saint Thomas Aquinas, and thinkest
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thou in a brief moment to construct the arc, which
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is to save thee from temporal and eternal perdition, perdition.
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In order to receive the Sacrament of pennants worthily, we
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must as follows, since we sent in our heart by
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our lips of our actions. We must atone for it
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by the sorrow which has fell to the heart expressed
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by the lips, and accomplishing our actions. We must do
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as the prodigal did. As soon as he experienced the
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gracious operation of the Holy Ghost, he thought over his
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misdeeds and acknowledged them. That's an examination of conscience. Conscience,
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I don't know why I have trouble seeing that word.
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He saw how ungrateful he had been toward his father
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and was truly grieved at heart. That's contrition. He determined
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to return to his father and begin a fresh life
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at home. That's resolution of amendment. He went back to
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his father, fell out his feet, confessed his fault and
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implored forgiveness. That's confession, and said he would no longer
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take the place of the son, but the servant. That's satisfaction.
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The father who fell on his neck and kissed him,
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that's absolution. Then followed a joyous repast. That's communion. We
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must examine our conscience, I e. We must carefully consider
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what sins we've done, committed and not yet confessed. We
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must make a careful scrutiny as if we were immediately
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to appear before the judgment seat of God. And if
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our examination is insufficient, the sacrament of penance may conduce
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to our damnation rather than our salvation. Yet we must
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not be over anxious, as some scrupulous persons are, for
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God does not require from us what is out of
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our power. The examination of conscience is most important, for
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by it we learn to know ourselves, and this is
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the beginning of all improvement. One can no more acknowledge
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and overcome a fault of which one is not aware,
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than one can cure a malady of the existence of
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which one is ignorant. Most men are wanting in self knowledge.
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There are many who search into the secrets of nature,
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who observe the course of the stars and the laws
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of motion, but who know nothing about themselves, and never
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look into their own heart. There be commiserated, despite their
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learning and their fame, because they pay no heed to
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their most glaring faults. The Creator has placed book in
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the hands of every man his conscience. Study this book diliantly, diligently,
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for all of your library. It is the only one
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which you can take into eternity. Self knowledge leads to
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the knowledge of God. Before examination of conscience let us
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invoke the aid of the Holy Spirit that he may
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enlighten us. We can find a thing that is in
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a dark room much more quickly if we bring a
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light with us, and is the same when we search
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out our sins. When the sun shines into a room,
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we notice a thousand moats, basically dust particles which were
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unobservable before. And so the soul, when illuminated by the
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Spirit of God, sees the slightest imperfection. Self knowledge is
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a gift of God which we can obtain by prayer alone.
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The eye sees everything but itself. It is the same
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with our spiritual sight. It is quickly discerning the faults
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of others and slow to see its own. It is
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well to examine one's conscience in solitude, for there the
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Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts. With examining our conscience,
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we must put aside self love and earnestly endeavor to
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acquaint ourselves with our faults. Many sick people will not
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allow that there is anything serious the matter with them,
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and sinners often do the same. This arises from self
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love and self complacency on account of the advantages they
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imagine themselves to possess. Both naturally and acquired. Some even
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count their faults as virtues. They think arrogance to be manliness,
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and seitfulness to be prudence, etc. Like some mothers who
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are so infatuated about their children that they think all
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their faults to be praised for the equalities the examination.
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In examining his conscience, let a man look on himself
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as his own enemy. Enemies have a sharp eye for
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one another's feelings. In examination or conscience, it as well
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to go through the Ten Commandments, the precepts of the Church,
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and the deadly sins. Children may ask themselves, have I
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forgotten my prayers? Have been an attentive to them under
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the name of God? Or spoken of holy things reverently?
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Or said any bad words? Have I done servile work?
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Servile servile work on Sundays or holy days of obligation?
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Have I miss hearing Mass? Have I behaved badly in
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church or eaten meat on Fridays? Have I been rude
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or disobediate to my parents? Have I been unkind to others,
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struck them or led them to do wrong, provoking them
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to anger? Have I indulged any thought, or spoken any word,
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or done any deeds of impurity? Have I ever taken
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what is not mine and have so given it back
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to the owner? Have I injured or received anyone? Have
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I told a falsehood, accused anyone wrongly, abused anyone, or
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told of his faults? It's interesting most people don't think
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of that these days, that speaking of the faults of
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another is actually a sin. We need not to do
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that as best we can. Have I coveted in another
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person's goods, or been proud, given way to anger or greediness,
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or been idle at school and work. In regard to
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mortal sin, we must remember how often we have been
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guilty of them, All the mortal sins of which the
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penitent penitent is conscious conscious, this is actually conscious. This
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is the trouble. I have trouble saying, the difference between
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conscious and conscience. I have to be more mindful of that.
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After a diligent examination it self must be enumerting confession.
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If the exact number of times cannot be remembered, the
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approximate number must at least be stated. It is not necessary,
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though it is advisable, to examine one's self in regard
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to venial sin. Venial sins, though rightly improfitable profitably declared
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in confession may be admitted without guilt. It. According to
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the Council Tread, the most usual defect of the examination
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of conscience is that the penitent keeps back certain shameful sins,
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and it's careful to search out slighter ones, such persons
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like the Pharisees who strain out the gnat and swallow
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the camel Matthew, twenty three, twenty four. Hence it is
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it may do not benefit from frequent confession, how many
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apparently pious people will take their sins with him to eternity.
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We must also consider whether there are circumstances which alter
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or aggravate the sin we confess. All those circumstances which
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change the quality and nature of the sin are to
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be explained in confession. For instance, if a man has
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taken those goods by violence, it is not enough to
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say I stole for robbery, with violence and theft are
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two different sins. If anything was stolen at church, this
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must also be mentioned. We ought to examine our conscience
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every evening in order to render our examination easier before confession.
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If a man would not do the necessary repairs of
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his houses, they are wanted, it will become dilapidated and
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require thorough renovation. So it is with the soul if
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its condition is not continually seen to it a minute.
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If a master looks to its steward's accounts daily, they
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do not get into disorder. And we must do the
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same with our conscience. If it would keep it, if
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we would keep it aright, daily examination is very profitable.
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It guards us from falling into mortal sin. If a
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merchant makes up his debt and credit account every day,
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he is not liable to get deeply into debt. Daily
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examination keeps our conscience pure and conduces to moral perfection.
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Saint Ignatius asserts it to be more important than prayer.
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If a king knew that his enemies were concealed in
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a certain quarter of his dominions, he would assuredly search
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their hiding place and frustrate their schemes. U foes within you,
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your unruly passion, search them out daily, and vanquish them
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with a sword of sorrow. It is not enough merely
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to gain knowledge of our faults. We ought earnestly to
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deplore them and endeavor to overcome them by good resolutions.
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We must truly repent of our sins. That is, we
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must grieve from our heart that we have offended God
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by them, and the thought of offending Him must be
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abhorring to us. It as instances of true contrition, we
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may mention Magdalen, who fail our Lord's feet weeping Luke seven,
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Saint Peter, who, after he denied Christ, went out and
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wept bitterly. Matthew twenty six seventy five, David, who, when
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the prophet Nathan had awakened him to a sense of sin,
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lay upon the ground and did neither eat nor drink
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Second King's twelve, but cried, have mercy on me, Oh God,
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according to that great mercy, and according to the multitude
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of their tender mercies, blought out my iniquity. I contrite
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and humble heart, Ol God, that would not despise Psalms one. Repentance,
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unless accompanied by trusting God's mercy, would be despair. Remember
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Judas's repentance. True contrition is also a sorrow of soul,
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and external action alone, such as recitation of certain formula prayers,
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wailing like that of the Jewish women rending the garments
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show two thirteen, do not constitute repentance. Exterior grief without
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em or grief is mere hypocrisy, But interior heartfelt contrition
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shows itself exteriorly for we mortals can rarely prevent all
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outward manifestation of what we feel inwardly. Penance has reference
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to God. Hence we call it supernatural because it proceeds
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from faith in an unseen, supernatural world. Sorrow for sins,
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because of its disastrous consequence, is no to true contrition.
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It is a natural sentiment without merit for God. The
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cruel king Antiochus Epiphanus bewailed his offended God in second
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maccabees in like manner. A gambler, a drunkard, a criminal
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who is arrested may regret his folly when he perceives
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the evil resulting from it. Temporal calamities may be the occasion,
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but not the motive for our sorrow. True repentance implies
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profound destillation of sin. Detestation of sin. That's a hard
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word to say. You detest it, so it's death testation,
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or a complete abandonment of sin. It is more a
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matter of will than a feeling. If, says Saint Augustine,
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that which formally caused the joy and pleasure now fills
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the I soul with bitterness, and that which formerly thou'st
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enjoy is now a torture to THEE. Then know thy
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repentance is real. That is true conversion, when a man
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turns to God with his whole heart and attaches himself
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completely from earthly things. Penance is worthless if it produces
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no amendment to him who is truly penitent. The thought
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of offending God is a born repentance is not real
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If every evil affection, without without exception, is not given up,
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what does it profit THEE to break every other chain
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if one remains binding THEE to hell. That's a reference
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to Saint Augustine. True contrition often manifests itself in tears.
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It was so in the case of Magdalen Simon's House
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Luke seven point thirty eight, and Saint Peter when he
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had denied our Lord Matthew sixteen seventy five. The apostle
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sorrow was life long. It is said that his tears
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made two furrows on his cheeks. The Apostle. I'm talking
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Saint Paul. I'm not sure. Penitential tears are not indispensable,
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but they are very ficacious. They render forgiveness more sure,
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the tears of the penitent are the most forcible language
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he can use. They compel God to forgive him. Penitential
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tears wash away the stains of sin. They are kind
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of baptism, only the cleansing waters come from within, not
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from without. They enlighten the mind as rain clear as
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the sky. The more we pre send, the more clearly
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we perceive its tripitude, and our tears lead us to
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a fundamental amendment of life. At tripitude Latin, that means
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like a withering or paralysis. I guess that's where that
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comes from. As meddicinal springs, skill bodily sickness, so tears
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cure the maladies of the soul. They bring in tiar constellation.
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They refresh the soul, as do does the plant. The
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tears of the penitent give joy to the angels and
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drive away the devils. They have much the same effect
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on them as holy water has the means of awakening.
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True contrition is to reflect that by our sins we
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have grievously offended the infinite majesty of God and have
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displeased our loving Father, our greatest benefactor. Contemplate the myriad stars,
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and the firmament of heaven. Consider the countless number of
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human beings upon Earth, the innumerable host of spirits in
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the realm of space, And thence conclude, how infinite is
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the divine Greatness, and you have offended this sovereign Lord.
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Consider furthermore the gratefulness the greatness. Consider the full furthermore,
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the greatness of your heavenly Father's love for you, and
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that he gave you what was dearest to him is
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only begotten son for you. How shameful to offend so
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loving a father. Remember also that the Son of God
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suffered in your stead. Consider too the innumerable benefits which
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throughout your life you have received from God, help, food, clothing, etc.
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All these things are His gifts, which, when he sees fit,
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he withdraws from the ungrateful. How instead of showing your
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thankfulness to God, you have grieved him and repaid his
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benefits with ingratitude. The contrition which arises from the love
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of God is called perfect contrition. Perfect contrition reconciles to
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man to God immediately before the sacrament of penance be
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actually received. Council of trentp. Fourteen four. Let us suppose
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that a father sends his two boys in a town
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to make some purchase, say loud and play on the way,
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and are late by several hours. On reaching home, their
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fright and one of them begins to cry because he's
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afraid to be whipped for his negligence. The other boy
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cries because he knows he has vexed his father. The
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second boy is an example perfect contrition. The first is imperfect.
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He only has perfect contrition, who is sorry for his
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sins because thereby he has offended God. Of this we
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find examples in David, Saint Peter, Magntulen, the Publican, and
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the Temple. All these transgressors were speedily forgiven. Perfect contrition is,
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as may be gathered from our Lord's words to Magdalene
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Luke seven forty seven. As a matter of fact, nothing
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more or less in fervent charity towards God, the operation
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of the Holy Spirit dwelling in man, and he in
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whom the Spirit dwells possess the sanctifying grace is free
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from mortal sin. The least degree in perfect contrition suffices
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instantly to cancel the debt of sin. Course to Saint
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Thomas Aquinas, and if one who is not immortal sin
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awakens imperfect contrition. The effect is to increase sanctifying grace
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and remit the temporal punishment due to sin. Perfect contrition
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is accompanied by the desire of confession. It's not necessarily
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to go to confession at once. It is enough to
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do so when the precept of the church and enjoins
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upon this what it's available. Let's put it that way.
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In fact, it is not indispensable to perfect contrition that
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the penitent should readily should be ready to go to
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confession when the obligation arises. We should make an act
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of perfect contrition from time to time and the course
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of our life, particularly in the hour of death, or
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if our life is in great danger, if in traveling
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by land or sea, we should perceive an accident to
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be imminent. Let our first thought to be to make
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an act of perfect contrition, and our reconciliation with God
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will be complete. It happened once that the father of
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a family broke a blood vessel. A messenger was said
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instantly dispatched to a summon a priest. But meanwhile, I
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think it means had a stroke. By the way, Meanwhile,
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the youngest child, who had recently made his first communion,
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perceiving that his father's life was fast, having a way,
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took a crucifix for the wall, and, holding it before
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the dying man's eyes, repeated an act of perfect contrition.
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Tears filled the follower's eyes. He expired before the priest came,
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but he was safe for all eternity. It is probable
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that at the time of the day Luge and the
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destruction of Sale mcgamara, some persons were saved from maternal
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perdition by an act of perfect contrition. If you should
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have the misfortune to offend God grievously, make an active
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contrition immediately. Do not go to rest at night, or
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begin a day's work, or start on a journey without
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in this manner making your salvation sure. It is no
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difficult matter matter to awaken true contrition if one has
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a good will under the old dispond say, was the
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only means of obtaining remission of sin. And every Christian
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is bound, under pain of mortal sin, to make an
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act of perfect contrition in the hour of death, in
25:09
the case he is conscious of sin and cannot go
25:12
to confession again. Only those find it hard who neglect
25:17
all the ordinance of religion. They are like a clock
25:21
which will not go even when wound up by sanctifying grace.
25:25
Because the works are rusty from disuse. A special interposition
25:30
of providence or miracle of grace is needed to enable
25:33
such persons to awaken perfect contrition. Cardinal Franz Fronzelin was
25:39
so impressed with the immense value of perfect contrition that
25:42
he declared, were he to go as preacher from land
25:45
to land, it should be the principal theme of his discourse.
25:49
A sip of water here the consideration that we must
25:55
expect the just judgments of God on account of our
25:57
sins also to poseposes us to true contrition. Remember the
26:02
punishment of the rebel angels, or our first parents, the
26:06
population of Sodom, of Noah's contemporaries, etc. Reflect upon the
26:09
awful pains of Hell, And even if you do escape Hell,
26:12
there's the fire purgatory to be endured. There at least
26:15
the punishment for exceeds all that one can suffer here
26:18
on earth. Even the tortures inflicted on the martyrs. None
26:22
but great saints have been exempt from the chastisement. How
26:25
can you expect to elude it? How terrible a thing
26:28
it is to offend God. The contrition which arises from
26:31
fear of God is called attrition or imperfect contrition. When
26:36
the contrition of the penitent is imperfect, forgiveness of sin
26:39
is only obtained through sacredotal absolution. That means a priest.
26:44
The natrition of the Nnovites was imperfect when smitten with
26:50
fear at the preaching of jonas they did penance. The penitent,
26:54
who is actuated by fear alone retains a certain attachment
26:58
of sin, though he may have stained from the outward act.
27:02
Hence his repentance is less efficacious. Imperfect contrition is like
27:07
a tiny spark which must be fanned by contrition and
27:10
the priest's absolution before it consumes the chaff of sin.
27:14
Confession without contrition does not obtain divine forgiveness. Whoso goes
27:19
to confession without sorrow of mind, detestation of sins committed
27:25
and the purpose of not sinning in future, but merely
27:27
from force of habit and not from consciousness of sins,
27:30
derives no benefit from the act. The husbandman or farmer
27:34
who scatter seeds on untilled soil labors in vain in
27:38
like manner. The words of absolution are inefficacious in regard
27:43
to one whose heart is unprepared and who will not
27:46
renount sin. Confession without contrition is like a gun loaded
27:49
without shot, an ear of corn impy of grain. It
27:53
is like the barren fig tree our Lord cursed for
27:56
on the tree of penance. Confession is but the leaves,
27:59
while contrition is the Saint. John Christostom compares the man
28:03
who goes to confession without contrition to an actor in
28:06
a play from the Story of the Prodigal. We gather
28:08
that confession alone is not everything. The father had scarcely
28:12
heeded with the sun said, But as soon as he
28:14
perceived his heart was changed, he hardly let him finish speaking,
28:17
but class him to his arms. We must make a
28:20
firm resolution, that is, we must steadfastly determine the help
28:24
of God to desist from all sin, and to avoid
28:28
the occasion of sin for the future. The purpose of
28:31
amendment is essential to true contrition. Council Trent fourteen fourth.
28:36
The resolution to sin no more rises out of contrition
28:39
as water issues from a spring. So long as the
28:42
will retains its attachment to sin, neither moral nor venial
28:45
sin can be remitted. All men who are not thus resolute,
28:49
for many do not adhere to their resolutions. They act
28:52
like a woman who, when her husband dies, makes a
28:54
terrible outcried, expolling loudly the excellent qualities of the deceased,
28:59
and protes vehemently she will never marry again, But in
29:02
a very short time, oblivious of her asservation, she gives
29:05
her hand to another man. Those who, in time of
29:08
illness or adversity, form good resolutions but do not carry
29:11
them out, or are like the wolf who retreats to
29:14
the woods when he hears the dog's bark, and the
29:16
shepherd cries out but remains a wolf. Nonetheless, a good
29:20
resolution is like a nail driven fast into a wall,
29:23
but the resolutions of too many and resemble a nail
29:26
badly knocked in, which falls out as soon as the
29:29
thing is hung upon it. The way to Hell is
29:31
paved with good resolutions which have not been carried out.
29:34
All men would not determine to renounce every sin. Saint
29:37
Sebastian promised to heal the Proconsul if he would destroy
29:41
all the idols in Rome. The pro Consul did this
29:45
with the exception of a little idol of gold and
29:47
heirloom in his family, which he concealed. The saint consequently
29:51
could not cure him. Ain't told him the reason. Many
29:54
sinners do the same. There is one darling sin which
29:57
they would not give up, and therefore they cannot break
30:00
away from the devil and become friends of God. For
30:03
God's sake, everything must be renounced. The penitent must also
30:07
seriously avoid all occasions of sin. The man who merely
30:11
dislikes his neighbor contents himself with his showing his company.
30:14
But if he has a thorough going hatred for him,
30:17
he gets rid of everything that can remind him of him.
30:19
He holds aloof from his friends and his relative. He
30:23
destroys his portrait, portrait he resents, he is received from him,
30:27
et cetera. Thus must the penitent act who has a
30:31
real detestation of sin. He must avoid all in everything
30:35
that leads to sin, or that reminds him of sin.
30:38
Those who wish to do better but will not avoid
30:40
the occasion of sin, or like one who sweeps away
30:42
the cob web but does not kill a spider. Thus
30:45
a fresh web is soon spun spun Golly, need some
30:50
more water here surround a long chapter? Or he is
30:58
like a gardener who cuts off the weeds and does
31:00
not root them up. In a little time, they are
31:02
greener than ever. Too often, sinners who confess their sins
31:06
but will not give up the occasion of sin transgress
31:09
more deeply than before. If you would like to keep
31:12
flies from your table, you must remove the sweet dishes
31:14
that attract them. So if you would keep free from sin,
31:17
you must keep far from the occasion of sin. Good
31:20
resolutions are of no use without the divine assistance, any
31:24
more than corn can fructify without rain and sunshine fructifyings
31:28
become sweet. Hence, we must not trust or ripen. You
31:31
can go with ripen. Hence we must not trust to
31:34
our own strength, but in the grace of God. Our
31:37
resolutions should have reference to one particular sin, and that
31:41
the one to which we are, and that to the
31:43
one we are much attached. It is impossible to carry
31:46
out many resolutions at a time. To attempt this is
31:48
like endeavoring to roll several large stones up a hill
31:51
at once. We shall succeed with none. It is enough
31:54
if we set ourselves to overcome one fault, for in
31:57
doing so we shall combat all the others. While curbing
32:00
one rest of horse, we check the other set or
32:03
harness with it. But if we did but root out
32:05
one vice every year, we should soon become perfect men.
32:09
It's one of FoST Probably's best pieces of advice. Figure
32:12
out one fault, one vice, one sin, whatever, and try
32:16
to address one per year. One's better than none, and
32:20
if you live ten or twenty years, you'll probably be
32:22
doing all right. We are under obligation of confessing our sins.
32:26
That is, we must secretly to the priests, enumerate all
32:29
the mortal sins of which we are conscious, accurately, simply
32:33
and humbly, with the number of times we've committed them.
32:36
Besides all that is necessary to make known the nature
32:38
of sin Council Trent fourteen five and seven. It is
32:42
not necessary, but as salutary and profitable, to confess venial sins.
32:46
If a mortal sin has been forgotten in confession must
32:49
be mentioned next time. Confession must be made secretly, that is,
32:53
we must speak in so low a tone that no
32:55
one can hear. Besides the priests, confession must be accurate,
33:00
should avoid the use of general terms. For instance, not
33:02
right to say I have transgressed The third fifth and
33:06
seven commandment, I have not loved guy with my whole heart.
33:09
I've sin and thought were Indeed, such praises are unmeaning. Yet,
33:13
while entering into particulars, everything should be told as briefly
33:16
as possible, every superfluous detail being avoided, and one who
33:20
has been accessory to our sin is not to be
33:22
mentioned by name. That's right. You cannot tell another person's
33:26
sin in the confessional. That's another mistake some people make.
33:31
I know of one particularly, which I will not repeat.
33:39
That was a bad situation actually, but I won't get
33:43
into the details. Let's just say someone was party to
33:46
something with someone else and confessed for both of them
33:50
in the confessional, and then got everything confused because the
33:56
other one thought they didn't have to go to confession.
33:58
And then that person went and told other people what
34:01
she had told were the confessional, and it really ended
34:04
up actually slandering the other person. Yeah, we won't get
34:09
into that. Just remember you just talk about your own sins.
34:14
Simple ambiguous expressions attempts at self justification cannot be allowed
34:19
in confession. The penitent must be simple and candid as chrystal,
34:23
and clear and transparent to seek to justify one's self
34:27
as to act like our first parents in Paradise, who
34:30
shifted the blame from their own shoulders and were punished
34:32
more severely for it. Accuse myself and God will excuse
34:36
the Excuse thyself, and God will accuse. The Saint Augustine
34:40
reference to his writing Humble, The penitent must not take
34:44
offense that the confessor approves or questions him. It is
34:47
the confessional. In the confessional, the priest is in the
34:51
place of God. The penitent is but a miserable sinner.
34:54
It's saying. King Louis the Ninth once said to a
34:58
priest who timodly addressed him as your adjacy. He said,
35:01
I am not king here, nor are you subject. I
35:04
am a child, and you are a father. The Empress
35:06
Constantina once set out for the abbot of Joe Kim
35:11
I don't know, and wanted him to hear her confession.
35:15
I know that's you know, Mary's father, but I've never
35:17
been able to pronounce his name Joe Akim or Joakim
35:21
or I've heard, you know, Jewish people say it doesn't
35:24
sound anywhere near like I don't know how to pronounce
35:26
his name anyway. He wanted to hear her confession while
35:32
she remained seating on the throne. But the abbot said,
35:36
I'm sorry. She wanted him to hear the confession while
35:38
she's on the front. He said, if thou art to
35:40
be in the place of Magdalene and I and that
35:42
of Christ, thou must leave thy throne and kneel at
35:45
my feet. Otherwise I will go away at once. If
35:48
the priest perceives that the confession is not entire and complete,
35:51
he asked questions, just as the customs officer, if he
35:54
thinks that a traveler has articles on which duty has
35:57
not been paid, does not satisfy himself with the or
36:00
no searches the luggage. If the penitent is unable to speak,
36:03
for instance, if he is deaf and dumb, or extremely ill,
36:06
he must make his confession by signs, or the death
36:09
mute may make it in writing. Absolution can never be
36:12
given to anyone at a distance, though it is besought
36:15
by letter or by a messenger. It is enough if
36:18
all mortal sins are convinced or confessed, is enough if
36:22
all moral sins are confessed. For if the beams are
36:25
burned away, the planks will probably be consumed with them,
36:28
but the reverse is not the case. Unfortunately, people are
36:31
too apt to confess of venial sins and to conceal
36:34
mortal sins. Yet it is profitable to confess venial sins,
36:38
for thereby a portion of the temporal penalty is canceled
36:42
and greater peace of mind is acquired. Since in regard
36:44
to some sins we cannot decide with certainty whether they
36:48
are mortal venal. Those who cannot accuse themselves of any
36:52
mortal sin must at least confess venial sins or a
36:57
sin of their past life, otherwise they cannot absolution. All
37:01
mortal sins must be declared, unless under exceptional circumstances, such
37:06
as the penitent being at the point of death, in
37:09
imminent danger of sinking ship too ill speak more than
37:12
a few words, or in the hospital where the confession
37:14
may be overheard. In such case, an incomplete confession is permissible.
37:20
All the mortal sins of which we are conscious must,
37:25
as has been said, be enumerated confession. Yet it may
37:28
occur that one is forgotten. If so, it must be
37:32
mentioned next time, And we need not distress ourselves if
37:35
we do not remember it until after communion. For our
37:38
confession was not sacrilegious. In other words, if we don't
37:41
omit it intentionally, we're okay. We must also declare, as
37:44
nearly as possible, how often any mortal sin has been committed.
37:48
Satisfaction must be made, i e. We must perform the
37:51
penance enjoyed upon us, enjoined upon us by the Confessor
37:55
the same. No, the debt of temporal punishment is in
37:58
no eyes remitted by the sacrament of pennant. For God
38:01
is not more merciful than he is just. Therefore, the
38:03
works of penance are imposed on the penitent, whereby he
38:07
may discharge the debt of temporal punishment due to his sins.
38:12
Works of penance are not only for the punishing or
38:14
avenging of past sins, but they are also medicine. The
38:17
sinner is like a wounded warrior. It is not enough
38:20
to extract the bullet from the wound. Bandages and balsam
38:23
must be applied to heal. The priest does not merely
38:27
deliver the penitent from guilt of sin. He enjoins on
38:30
him suitable and salutary satisfaction, which shall act as a
38:36
remedy against relapse. As a rule, he imposes on him
38:40
penances exactly opposite to his evil propensities. Alms deed on
38:46
the avaricious, fasting on the intemperate, and so forth. Nothing
38:50
is more efficacious in eradicating sin than prayer, alms giving,
38:53
and fasting, because the concupiscence of the eyes, the concupiscence
38:58
of the flesh, the pride of flesh, the pride of
39:00
life are overcome by the practice of the opposite virtues.
39:05
You know, a lot of priests don't really give us
39:07
harsh penances anymore. We'd probably be better off that they did,
39:11
But you know, that's for them to figure out. The
39:14
Confessor generally enjoins upon the penitent prayer, alms, deeds, and
39:18
fastings as works of penance, in order that he may
39:21
thereby discharge the temporal penalties and weaken the power of
39:26
evil tendencies. In former times, most rigorous penances were imposed
39:30
e g. Fasting on bread and water, absence from meat
39:33
and wine, the non reception of holy communion, and the like.
39:36
These penances were not for a few days. They lasted
39:38
months and even years. Nay, many were life long. Some
39:42
penitence withdrew to the desert to live a life of penance.
39:45
As did Saint Mary of Egypt. Nor were these penances
39:48
only imposed for grievous sins, but for comparatively slight transgressions,
39:52
such as the emission of mass, neglect of the rule
39:55
of fasting, misbehavior. In church. Nowadays, the penances are very
40:00
They bear no possible proportion to the punishment we have merited.
40:04
It is well, therefore, to undertake some voluntary penances that
40:07
we may not suffer in purgatory heal after as will
40:11
be shown presently. The Confessor also directs reparation to be
40:15
made for any injury that has been done, and suppression
40:18
of all that may cause scandal. He obliges those who
40:21
have stolen other people's goods to make restitution, those who
40:24
have wronged other by slander to attract their words and
40:26
make an apology. He deals gently with the penitent and
40:30
does not required from him what he cannot or will
40:32
not perform. The works of penance improved imposed by the
40:35
Confessor ought to be consciously performed in union with the
40:39
satisfaction of our Lord Jesus Christ. By the performance of
40:42
our sacramental penance that enjoined by the priests, we discharge
40:46
more of our debt than by other works voluntarily undertaken
40:49
the former have the virtue of obedience. They would lose
40:52
their value if they were knowingly altered. Therefore, they must
40:55
be no a scrupulous exactitude. If they cannot be performed,
40:59
it must be told the price in the next confession.
41:01
They must be also performed without delay, whether they have
41:04
no efficacy in remitting sin or in graces, unless the
41:07
penitent is in a state of grace, and this is
41:10
most certain immediately after confession. Still, there is no obligation
41:13
in saying one's penance before approaching holy communion. But we
41:17
must not put off saying it until there is a
41:19
danger of our forgetting it. Whoso neglects to perform his
41:23
sacramental penance lose as many graces and violates the obedience
41:27
he owes to the priests as God's representative. But he
41:29
does not thereby render his confession and valid. He is
41:32
like a sick man who, when the physician is gone,
41:35
will not take the medicine prescribed. He shows, moreover that
41:39
he does not think seriously of amending his life. All
41:42
our works of penance are of themselves without merit. They
41:46
derive their sufficiency from the merit of the satisfaction made
41:50
by Christ. For this reason, the Church concludes all her
41:53
petitions with the word predominant and nostromiaism crucisdom. Our works
41:58
cannot nevertheless, he dispensed with. For Christ has only merited
42:02
for us what was beyond our reach. He has opened
42:06
heaven to us. It behooves us through who the satisfaction
42:10
we make appropriate to ourselves through the satisfaction of Well,
42:15
this is hard, I'm getting tired. How much longer is
42:18
this chapter? Oh? Good? Two more paragraphs? Hang with me? Okay.
42:27
We ought to perform volunteer. Let's see. Yeah, I lost
42:32
my place. I'm sorry, I'm doing okay. We should there besides,
42:38
make satisfaction by punishments voluntarily undertaken of ourselves, and also
42:42
by bearing patiently the temporal scourges inflicted by God. We
42:47
ought to perform voluntarily pences as well as those enjoined
42:51
on us. The man who has one thousand dollars does
42:53
not deem himself out of debt until he has paid
42:56
three or four hundred, or when he has paid three
42:59
or five. He cannot rest until the whole debt is
43:02
paid off. So we must labor continuously to discharge our debt.
43:06
Divine justice can only be satisfied by long and continuous penance.
43:11
Chastise thyself, said Saint Augustine, if thou wouldst not have
43:14
God chastise thee by a little labor, here we can
43:17
avoid great pains. Hereafter, the whole life of the Christian
43:20
ought to be a perpetual penance. According to the Council
43:23
of Trent, attach no credit, says Saint Johnathan Cross to
43:26
the man who decries penance, although he may have the
43:29
gift of miracles, while we do penance, we may count
43:31
upon the assistance of grace penance under suffering. It is
43:35
an effectual means of making satisfaction. The merit of suffering
43:39
does not consist in the amount we bear, but the
43:41
manner in which we bear it. Comparatively, slight afflictions born
43:45
patiently will have far more value as expiation for sin.
43:48
The much greater works undertaken in our own free will.
43:51
Happy those to whom it is given to expiate their
43:54
sins on earth. For the fires of purgatory are infinitely
43:57
worse than anything we suffer. Here we do not contribute
44:00
to our future felicity. They are simply punitive, not meritorious.
44:05
Another most probable means of making satisfaction is the willing
44:10
acceptance of death at the hand of God. Since Christ
44:13
died for us, death is not now regarded so much
44:16
in the slight, in the light of chastisement. But by
44:19
nothing can be merit so greatly as by accepting it willingly.
44:23
The works of penance which we perform, and the suffering
44:26
we bear patiently do not only cancel out the temporal
44:30
punishment do our sins, but they contribute to the increase
44:33
of our eternal happiness. The satisfaction we make here not
44:37
only pardon obtains here. The satisfaction we make here obtains
44:41
not only pardon from God, but also reward. All suffering
44:45
is the penalty of sin, but by God's mercy it
44:49
is also the latter, whereby we may ascend to heaven.
44:52
How vast is the mercy and loving kindness of God.
44:56
All right, y'all, we're going to wrap it up there.
44:58
My word, that was a long one, and my tongue
45:01
is tired. I hope you enjoyed it. We've got I
45:03
think one more show to go on confession, very important stuff.
45:08
Y'all have a going and I'll talk to you next day,