Protip: You can never complete enough penance.
When I was a newer convert to Catholicism, I would leave the sacrament of confession wondering how one “Our Father” and one “Hail Mary” would expiate the sins I just confessed. For years, I wondered about this and then I found out that no amount of penance can fully satisfy our sins and somehow this made me feel better.
The Process
For those not familiar with the Catholic sacrament of reconciliation, or confession, basically the penitent goes to a priest, confesses their sins and is absolved via a formulaic rite. As part of the absolution, a penance is assigned by the priest.
Once we have confessed our sins to a priest, received absolution, and been reconciled with God, the process of penance begins. This process involves performing certain acts or prayers assigned by the priest as a means of expressing our remorse and actively participating in the process of atonement. Penance serves as a tangible way to demonstrate our sincere desire to make things right and to repair the damage caused by our sins.
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The Role of Penance
The specific penance assigned varies, taking into account factors such as the gravity of the sins confessed, individual circumstances, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It could include prayers, acts of charity, fasting, or other spiritual exercises. The intention behind these acts is not to “pay” for our sins or earn our salvation, as it is only through God’s grace that we are forgiven. Instead, penance allows us to cooperate with God’s transformative power, humbly acknowledging our faults and actively seeking to grow in holiness.
Engaging in penance after confession serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it helps us to take responsibility for our actions and acknowledge the consequences they may have had on ourselves, others, and our relationship with God. By willingly embracing the penance, we demonstrate our commitment to making amends and seeking reconciliation.
Moreover, penance fosters self-reflection and contrition, cultivating a spirit of humility and genuine sorrow for our sins. It reminds us of our dependence on God’s mercy and our need for ongoing conversion. Through penitential acts, we open ourselves to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to purify our hearts and shape us into more faithful disciples of Christ.
Additionally, penance strengthens our willpower and helps to break free from the patterns of sin that may have entangled us. By actively engaging in acts of penance, we exercise discipline and self-control, allowing God’s grace to strengthen us in resisting temptation and growing in virtue.
Balance Due, Pay Up. Sorry, I Can’t!
What I never understood is how a few minutes completing the assigned penance in any way atoned for my sins. To put it simply, it doesn’t and never can.
I read a book, Salvation, What Every Catholic Should Know, by Michael Patrick Barber, that did a great job of explaining and illustrating the role of penance with regard to satisfaction of sin in terms of debt, in an economic framework, as well as expounding on what salvation actually means for the Christian in a broader context.
This book really helped clear up my misperception about the role of penance in Catholicism as well as helped put at ease some of the mis-based concerns I had that I wasn’t doing enough or being committed enough with penitential acts.
I, like I suspect many other Catholics, thought, “Well, if I just do this penance here and a little more of this penance here and top it off with a 48 hour fast, I’m all set!” It doesn’t work that way. Never has. Never will.
Christ paid the ultimate price for our sin. Although we can never complete any task or penance that can fully satisfy the largesse of his sacrifice, we can still put hope in obtaining his mercy through sincere contrition and His grace.
A path to this is fulfilling the priest’s assigned penance in a spirit of obedience and humbleness.
Salvation is a gift. To say it again, salvation is a gift. What is more marvelous than this? Despite our incapability of repaying the debt that Jesus satisfied, he freely offers us salvation!
Being a gift, it is important to understand, I think, that it is one we don’t deserve but, through God’s mercy, he gives it freely if we ask with a genuine heart and follow the commandments his son prescribed.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the purpose of Catholic penance after confession is to foster spiritual growth, reconciliation, and a deepening of our relationship with God.
It is a means through which we respond to God’s boundless love and mercy, actively participating in the process of healing and renewal. Embracing penance with humility and trust allows us to experience the transformative power of God’s grace and draws us closer to the person God calls us to be.
Incorporating penance into our spiritual lives after receiving the sacrament of confession is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of God’s forgiveness and to actively participate in the ongoing journey of conversion.
It is a powerful reminder of God’s unconditional love, His desire for our reconciliation, and His unwavering commitment to our spiritual growth. Let us, therefore, approach penance with gratitude and a sincere desire to grow in holiness, trusting in God’s infinite mercy to guide us on this transformative path.
Although nothing we can do can ever satisfy the debt he paid, Jesus, in his love and mercy, extends his arms wide to receive us. All we have to do is ask.