Source of Our Life in Christ

Source of Our Life in Christ
The Sacraments Source of Our Life in Christ

THE SACRAMENTS Source of Our Life in Christ
CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4 Reconciliation

Chapter Objectives The student will be able to understand:
The Parable of the Prodigal Son The “second conversion” Christ can forgive sins The institution of the Sacrament of Reconciliation Public penance Private confession Indulgences Our moral responsibility Sin and our relationship with God Mortal and venial sin The steps of a good Confession Contrition Requirement for mortal sins The minister of Reconciliation and the seal of Confession Frequent Confession Penance

Keys to This Chapter God is our loving Father, rich in mercy.
Christ instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism. We are responsible for our evil actions. How to make a good Confession. Reconciliation is valuable even in case of venial sin. We should imitate Christ by taking up our cross daily through penance.

In This Chapter We Will Discuss:
When did Christ give the Apostles the authority to forgive sins? How does the Church mediate God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Why is Confession necessary in the Christian life? How does one prepare for a good Confession? What are the benefits of frequent Confession?

The Prodigal Son and the Forgiveness of Sins
Lesson Objectives The Parable of the Prodigal Son The “second conversion” Christ can forgive sins

Basic Questions What does Jesus reveal in the Parable of the Prodigal Son? In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Christ reveals that the one true God is a Father who offers love and forgiveness to his children.

Basic Questions What is the “second conversion?” The effects of Original Sin remain even after Baptism, resulting in the need for an ongoing, lifelong “second conversion.”

Basic Questions Who can forgive sins? Forgiveness of sins before and after Baptism comes through Jesus Christ who, being God, can forgive sins.

Anticipatory Set Incorporate a reading of the Parable of the Prodigal Son in the Opening Prayer.

Focus Question Why did Christ institute the Sacrament of Reconciliation, considering that Baptism forgives our sins? Christ knew even his most sincere followers would sin after Baptism. Therefore, he instituted the Sacrament and gave his Apostles the authority to forgive sins.

Focus Question What is the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or Penance? Jesus Christ, through the ministry of his Church, forgives those sins committed after Baptism.

Focus Question What is the key aspect of the nature of God that Jesus reveals in the Parable of the Prodigal Son? The one true God is a Father who offers love and forgiveness to his children.

Focus Question How is God like the father in the parable? God gives us everything, and, even when we squander our inheritance, he always welcomes us back with open arms and calls our brothers and sisters to celebrate our return.

Discuss the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
Guided Exercise Discuss the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Do you completely agree with the actions of any of the characters in the Parable: father, younger son, or older son? How is God like the father, and how are we like the two brothers?

Focus Question What is the nature of the first Original Sin?
By eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam and Eve questioned the justice of God and chose to be their own arbiters of right and wrong. They placed their own wills before that of God.

Focus Question What is the effect of Baptism on Original Sin?
Baptism cleanses the soul of Original Sin (i.e., restores sanctifying grace to the soul), as well as all personal sins, and turns us back towards God. However, we still experience the consequences of Original Sin in a fallen human nature that is weakened and inclined to evil (concupiscence).

Focus Question What does Isaiah foretell, and the angel confirm to St. Joseph, about the Messiah? The Messiah will save his people from their sins.

Guided Exercise Read (1) the second paragraph under “The First Sin,” beginning, “As a result…” and (2) no. 405 from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and then list in bullet-point form the effects of Original Sin.

Focus Question How did Jesus scandalize the scribes and Pharisees?
He associated himself with the sinners and claimed to forgive them.

Focus Question Why did the scribes and Pharisees consider Jesus’ claim of forgiveness of sins to be blasphemous? They correctly understood that only God can forgive sins. If Jesus claimed to forgive sins, he was claiming to be God. Therefore, if he was not God, then he must be a blasphemer.

The Origin and Early Forms of Penance
Lesson Objectives The institution of the Sacrament of Reconciliation Public penance Private confession Indulgences

Basic Questions When did Christ institute the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Christ gave St. Peter and the Apostles his power to forgive sins, which they passed on to the bishops they ordained.

Basic Questions How was the Sacrament of Penance celebrated in the early Church? The earliest form of the Sacrament of Reconciliation was public confession, followed by public penance, followed by public absolution, and was usually received only once in a lifetime and only for particularly grave sins.

Basic Questions How did private confession come about? The Irish monks introduced the common form of the Sacrament of Reconciliation that we celebrate today with private confession and absolution followed by private penance; this rite could be repeated as often as needed.

Basic Questions What is an indulgence? An indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin that has already been forgiven.

Focus Question When do we first see Jesus imparting his divine authority to forgive sins? Christ gives St. Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven with the power to bind and loose.

Focus Question When do we first hear of keys as a sign of granting one’s authority to another to act as his steward in his absence? In Isaiah 22:22, Eliakim is made steward of Judah and Jerusalem and given the “key of the house of David: he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”

Focus Question How are Christ’s words similar to God’s word to Eliakim? In Matthew 16:19, Christ says to St. Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Focus Question What is the difference between the keys given to Eliakim and those given to St. Peter? Eliakim’s keys were for the earthly city of Jerusalem while St. Peter’s are for the New Jerusalem—the Church.

Focus Question What is the second indication in the Scriptures of the authority to forgive? Christ extended this power to all the Apostles the evening after his Resurrection when he said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven: if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Focus Question What evidence was there that St. Peter and the Apostles had the authority to actually forgive sins? Just as Christ used physical healing to demonstrate he had the divine power to forgive sins, he also gave the power to heal to St. Peter and the Apostles.

Focus Question Was the power to forgive sins limited to the Apostles alone? No. Christ intended the Apostles to pass it on to their successors.

Focus Question How did the Apostles pass on their powers?
Through Apostolic Succession, that is, through the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

Focus Question Who has the primary authority to forgive sins?
The bishop has the primary authority to forgive sins. Priests cooperate with him in this ministry.

Focus Question Has the Sacrament of Reconciliation always been celebrated in exactly the same way? No. The Rite evolved during the first centuries of the Church.

Focus Question What do we know about the practice of the Sacrament of Penance in the New Testament? Sts. Matthew, Paul, and James urged members of the Church to confess their sins to one another and to avoid contact with those members of the Church who were guilty of serious sins.

Focus Question How was the Sacrament of Penance celebrated in the early Church? A grave sinner would publicly confess his or her sins before the bishop, the bishop would impose a penance, and, once the penance was completed, the bishop would publicly pronounce absolution. Then the sinner would be welcomed back into the community.

Guided Exercise Read 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 (p. 111) and then conduct a think/pair/share on the following question: In light of what St. Paul says here, is it legitimate for a bishop to exclude a public and unrepentant Catholic from receiving the Eucharist?

Focus Question What new form for celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation was developed by the Irish monks? The Irish monks developed a form of Reconciliation that was private and repeatable. The penitent’s sins were confessed in private with the absolution given at the same time. The penance was done later.

Focus Question Why did private penance vary in intensity?
The penance was determined by the gravity of the sin and the circumstances of the person who committed it. For example, if a priest and a peasant committed the same sin, the priest would receive a harsher penance.

Focus Question How did private celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation become the norm in the Western church? Irish missionaries evangelized Northern Europe and brought this form of Reconciliation with them.

Guided Exercise How is confession of sins an inherent consequence of Christ’s institution of this Sacrament?

Graphic Organizer Pros Cons
Complete the following table to organize your knowledge of the Sacrament of Penance as celebrated in the early Church. Pros Cons

Focus Question How do we remove the “inordinate attachment to created things that distort the image of Christ in our souls?” Through acts of penance on earth or in Purgatory after death.

Focus Question Why is penance necessary?
We must be perfected before we enter into the presence of God in Heaven. A soul with the stain of sin or owing satisfaction for sins already forgiven must be purified in Purgatory before entering Heaven.

Focus Question What is the proper motivation for undertaking penances?
We desire to repair our relationship with God and our neighbor, which we have damaged through sin.

Focus Question In the first centuries of the Church, when the Sacrament of Reconciliation was celebrated publicly, how could an indulgence be applied to shorten one’s penance? If a person was assigned to fast for one year, for example, this period of time could be shortened by making a pilgrimage to a Christian shrine.

Focus Question What are the two kinds of indulgences?
Plenary and partial.

Focus Question Why are most indulgences partial?
One of the conditions of receiving a plenary indulgence is the complete detachment from all sin. It is rare for a person to be completely detached from all deliberate sin.

Focus Question What is the result of a person receiving a plenary indulgence? If a person died after receiving a plenary indulgence (i.e., free of all attachment to sin), he or she would go to Heaven with no need of further purgation or purification in Purgatory.

Personal Responsibility for Sin
Lesson Objectives Our moral responsibility Sin and our relationship with God Mortal and venial sin

Basic Questions Why are we morally responsible for our actions? Because we have reason and free will, we are personally responsible for good and bad actions and the effects they have on ourselves and others.

Basic Questions What is sin? Every sin violates the eternal and natural laws and is a form of idolatry.

Basic Questions What does every sin do to our relationship with God? Our sins personally damage our relationship with God.

Basic Questions What are venial and mortal sins? Sins can be venial, damaging but not destroying our relationship with God, or mortal, depriving us of sanctifying grace and destroying our relationship with God. Mortal sins must be confessed.

Focus Question What are the positive and negative consequences of free will on our relationship with God? We can freely respond to God’s love by loving him in return, sharing in his act of creation, and having a personal relationship with him. Alternatively, we can deliberately make a choice in opposition to God’s moral law and his wisdom.

Focus Question How does sin damage the sinner?
It damages our relationship with God, weakens our will, and clouds our intellect.

Focus Question How does sin harm others?
Every sin hurts others, either directly, as in stealing from others, or indirectly, by giving our neighbor bad example. Even our “secret” sins hurt others because they change us for the worse and, therefore, negatively affect our relationship with others.

Focus Question What is a sin?
A sin is any act, word, or desire that violates the eternal law of God.

Focus Question What is eternal law?
It is the law of God that directs all creation according to divine wisdom.

Focus Question How is man perfected or degraded?
We are perfected by freely conforming our actions to the eternal law, and we are degraded by freely rejecting that law.

Focus Question What is natural law?
It is the eternal law as applied to human conduct. Extension: Natural law is usually defined as man’s participation in the eternal law.

Focus Question What are the two sources of the natural law?
Reason and Divine Revelation.

Focus Question Where are the ultimate expressions of the natural law in Divine Revelation? The ultimate expression of natural law can be found in the Ten Commandments and in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Focus Question Why is sin a form of idolatry condemned by the First Commandment? God is supposed to be first in our lives. Every sin is a disordered love of creatures over God. It is disordered because we want the supposed good, which we think that a created thing will give us, more than we want the ultimate good, which is God.

Guided Exercise Perform a paragraph shrink on the paragraph beginning, “Any thought, word, or action…” (p. 115).

Focus Question How did Adam and Eve’s behavior reveal that they had damaged their relationship with God? They hid themselves from him.

Focus Question How does the prophet Hosea portray the sin of the nation of Israel? He said Israel is like a wife who commits adultery against her husband.

Focus Question How does sin become a personal offense against God in the New Testament? Christ became man and suffered for the actual—not theoretical—sins of man. Our actual, personal sins are the cause of his actual, personal suffering and Crucifixion.

Focus Question What is actual sin?
Unlike Original Sin, which is a wound we inherit, actual sin is a freely committed immoral action.

Focus Question What are two classifications of actual sin?
Mortal and venial sin.

Focus Question What is venial sin?
Venial sins are immoral actions that damage, but do not destroy our relationship with God.

Focus Question What is mortal sin?
Mortal sin is an immoral action that destroys our relationship with God.

The Sin of __________________
Graphic Organizer Illustrate CCC by completing the following table using a concrete sin of your choosing. The Sin of __________________ An offense against reason, truth, and right conscience A failure in genuine love of God and neighbor A word, act, or desire against the Natural Law An offense against God

Focus Question What are three conditions for committing a mortal sin?
The act must involve serious matter, one must have full knowledge, i.e., know it is seriously wrong; and one must have complete consent, i.e., freely commit the act or allow it to happen.

Focus Question If the first condition is not present, what is the sin?
It is a venial sin.

Focus Question Who ultimately decides if a sin is mortal or venial?
God.

Focus Question What should we assume, if we are not sure if a sin is mortal or venial? Assume it is a mortal sin and confess it.

Focus Question What is the effect of mortal sin?
It is willful separation from God and his sanctifying grace. If one dies in a state of mortal sin, it will result in eternal separation from God.

Focus Question What is the name for the freely-chosen eternal separation from God? Hell.

Focus Question What are ways in which venial sins can be forgiven outside of Sacramental Confession? Repentance, acts of contrition, prayer, works of charity, reception of Holy Communion, and participation in the holy Sacrifice of the Mass forgive venial sins.

Focus Question How are mortal sins forgiven?
Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Making a Good Confession
Lesson Objectives The steps of a good Confession Contrition Requirements for mortal sin

Basic Questions What are the components of a good Confession? The steps to making a good Confession are examination of conscience, sorrow for sins, purpose of amendment and the resolution to avoid sins in the future, actual confession of sins, the act of contrition, and penance or satisfaction.

Basic Questions What are the two types of contrition? Perfect and imperfect contrition are both valid forms of expressing sorrow for sins.

Basic Questions How must mortal sins be confessed? Mortal sons must be confessed in kind, number, and sufficient detail.

Anticipatory Set Read pages , and then identify and list the steps to make a good Confession.

Guided Exercise Perform a paragraph shrink on the paragraph on “Purpose of Amendment.” Then answer the following question: If you have looked at pornography, what might be included in your purpose of amendment?

Focus Question What is an examination of conscience?
It is a review of your moral conduct since your last Confession. It includes acts (thoughts, words, actions, and omissions) and intentions.

Focus Question What is a good template to use in examining one’s conscience? The Ten Commandments and the Precepts of the Church.

Focus Question Can there be forgiveness of sin without sorrow? No.

Focus Question What can we do if we have a hard time seeing what is wrong about a particular sin? Reflect on our sins and their true consequences, including how Christ has suffered for them. Also, a person can seek spiritual direction or counsel from a priest over these concerns.

Focus Question Is sorrow, or contrition, primarily a feeling?
No, Sorrow is primarily a judgment of the will that one has done wrong.

Focus Question What is perfect contrition?
It is sorrow for sin out of love for God.

Focus Question What is imperfect contrition?
It is sorrow for sin out of fear of punishment.

Focus Question Are both kinds of contrition valid?
Yes, although perfect contrition is better in the same way that love is superior to fear.

Focus Question What is scrupulosity?
It is the error of judging something evil when it is not.

Focus Question Why should you mention how long it has been since your last Confession? It helps the priest understand your situation better.

Focus Question To what degree of specificity must you confess your sins? It is a balance between not being vague to hide what you did and offering unnecessary details. You should confess your sins with sufficient detail to allow the priest to assess the gravity of your sins and to offer advice on how you can avoid these sins in the future.

Focus Question Why must you confess mortal sins in kind and number?
The priest can make a true assessment of your sins. For example, stealing one dollar from your mother’s purse on one occasion is different from stealing twenty dollars from your employer on ten occasions.

Focus Question Why is it good to identify the root of our sin and then expand upon it? Identifying the root of a sin helps us to overcome it.

Focus Question How does the Act of Contrition on page 120 include both perfect and imperfect contrition? Imperfect contrition is expressed in the words, “because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell.” Perfect contrition is shown in the words, “most of all, because they offend you my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love.”

Focus Question How do the word of absolution involve the Trinity and the Church? God the Father has reconciled the world to himself. He has done this through the Passion of his Son. He has sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sin. The Church is the minister of this Sacrament.

Focus Question When the priest pronounces the word of absolution, in whose words is he speaking? In the Person of Christ. This is why the priest says, “I absolve you …” in the Latin Rite.

Conduct a think/pair/share on the following question:
Guided Exercise Conduct a think/pair/share on the following question: What actions should we undertake to complete the satisfaction for our sins?

The Benefits of Confession
Lesson Objectives The minister of Reconciliation and the seal of Confession Frequent Confession Penance

Basic Questions Who is the minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and what is his obligation? The minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a bishop or priest who is bound by the “seal of Confession” never to reveal what he has heard in Confession.

Basic Questions Why does the Church require and recommend Confession? Both confession of mortal sins and frequent confession of venial sins give the penitent many graces and benefits, including the forgiveness of sin and a closer identification with Christ.

Basic Questions What is penance, and what is its role in the Christian life? Penance–voluntary self-denial through mortification, prayer, and almsgiving–is necessary for growth in the Christian life.

Focus Question Who is the minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation?
A bishop or priest.

Focus Question How can a bishop or priest forgive sins?
Christ granted his Apostles the authority to forgive sins in his name, and the bishop or priest is the means through which Christ forgives the penitent.

Focus Question What is the “seal of Confession”?
The “seal of Confession” prohibits the confessor from revealing anything told him in Confession under pain of excommunication.

Focus Question Why has the Church created the seal of Confession?
It encourages people to confess their sins without fear.

Focus Question What is spiritual direction?
It is a means of forming one’s soul, often done in Confession. A spiritual director helps a person to make progress in his or her spiritual life.

Focus Question What is the consequence of dying in a state of grace?
Eternal life with God.

Focus Question Why is it wrong to receive Communion while in a state of mortal sin? That would be another mortal sin, that of sacrilege.

Focus Question How does the Church view frequent confession of non-mortal (or venial) sins? She encourages frequent Confession for the benefits that it bestows on our spiritual lives.

Focus Question How can one do penance through prayer?
Prayerful reading of the Sacred Scriptures, called lectio divina, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and meditating on the lives and writing of the saints are recommended forms of prayer.

Conduct a think/pair/share on the following question:
Guided Exercise Conduct a think/pair/share on the following question: Even though God can forgive sins outside the Sacrament of Reconciliation, why is it important for Catholics to use this Sacrament regularly?

Guided Exercise Pick one benefit of frequent Confession and free write on it for five minutes.

Focus Question What regulations for fasting are binding on teenagers?
All who are fourteen and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday of Lent. All who are eighteen or older must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, in addition to abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent, as well as making some act of self-denial on all other Fridays of the year.

Focus Question How does the Church define the minimum fast on fast days? One full meal and two half meals along with abstaining from meat.

Focus Question Why has the Church established days and seasons of penance? We need penance to grow in our Christian life.

Focus Question What is the main season of penance the Church has established? The forty days of Lent.

Focus Question What is mortification?
It is voluntary self-denial that helps us to die to ourselves and live for Christ.

Focus Question What is almsgiving?
It is another form of penance in which we exercise charity by giving of our time, talent, and treasure for the benefit of others.

Discuss the following question:
Guided Exercise Discuss the following question: What act made St. John Nepomucene a martyr for the seal of Confession?

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