Penance

[Xeno.of.athens]

Good for you!

It is good, thanks for saying so.

Now, back to the topic.

THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION

1422 "Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion."4​

4 LG 11 # 2.​

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

Of course, the original post is not about the sacrament of Penance.

It's about the simple humanity of healing the damage one's sins cause. Repaying losses, apologising for wrongs done, doing what one can to repair the damage done by gossip and so forth. These are just what one ought to do because of one's love for God and neighbour. It applies both to the brethren (inclusive of the sisters) and to the worldly who were harmed by one's sins.

 

[Servus]

After you ask God for forgiveness and receive it, or at least believe that you have received it, what do you do with the damage that your sin did in this world? Asking for forgiveness from God doesn't seem to help the people hurt by your sins.

Of course, the original post is not about the sacrament of Penance.

It's about the simple humanity of healing the damage one's sins cause. Repaying losses, apologising for wrongs done, doing what one can to repair the damage done by gossip and so forth. These are just what one ought to do because of one's love for God and neighbour. It applies both to the brethren (inclusive of the sisters) and to the worldly who were harmed by one's sins.

It depends on the situation. Telling a woman, "I've been having lustful thoughts about you, and I want to apologize" might emotionally harm that person rather than provide any form of restitution.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

It depends on the situation. Telling a woman, "I've been having lustful thoughts about you, and I want to apologize" might emotionally harm that person rather than provide any form of restitution.

An interesting idea, but did you sin against her by lusting or was your sin only against the Law and your morals as well as possibly against God?

 

[ViaCrucis]

Of course, the original post is not about the sacrament of Penance.

It's about the simple humanity of healing the damage one's sins cause. Repaying losses, apologising for wrongs done, doing what one can to repair the damage done by gossip and so forth. These are just what one ought to do because of one's love for God and neighbour. It applies both to the brethren (inclusive of the sisters) and to the worldly who were harmed by one's sins.

I agree that this is simple and good Christian living. The Lord Jesus tells us, point of fact, that if our brother is upset with us and we go to bring our offering to the Temple, we should first go make amends with our brother, and only then come and bring offering.

For we know, as David had written long ago, that it is not the blood of bulls and goats that pleases God, He cares not for burnt offerings, but a contrite heart and a broken spirit is what God desires, these are the true sacrifice we bring.

It is not God who needs our good works, but our neighbor. When we sow injury to our neighbor, we may confidently know God forgives us; but we must still go and make amends with our neighbor, for our neighbor has still been injured. Indeed, if we simply refuse to come to our neighbor and acknowledge our fault, and seek reconciliation with them, then we sin. Thus, naturally, with repentance comes "works worthy of repentance".

Therefore the penitent heart not only pleads God's mercy in confession, but also desires making amends with those we know we've hurt, and desires that we no longer go on sinning. While sinlessness isn't possible, our sin should cause us distress--this is why the mercy of God is sweet to the sinner. God's forgiveness is medicine to our pained conscience, for if we take seriously His commandments our sin shall cause us grief; and it is only the Gospel that brings comfort to the guilty conscience. So as we live our lives as disciples, we take up this cross. Our life being made of two parts: Law and repentance, and Gospel and faith. We living in Christ by faith, and neighbor by love. And thus flowing out from us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, ought to be good works and the fruits of the Spirit; not as our justification before God, but as the fruitful outflow of God now saving and sanctifying us.

-CryptoLutheran