An Eastern Tradition: Reduction of Penance and Sufferage

[Vico]

One example of how Eastern Catholics (or Latin) obtain a plenary indulgence:

1. Have received the Mystery of Confession, within 20 days.
2. Receive the Mystery of The Holy Eucharist, and on that day also:
   a. Have the intention to obtain the indulgence.
   b. Regret all your sins and resolve not to repeat them. (Perfect contrition.)
   c. Say a few prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father the Pope. (1 Our Father and 1 Glory Be, or similar)
   d. Read the Holy Scriptures for 30 minutes, using a Bible approved by your particuar Church.

 

[Diak]

I want to thank brother Marduk for once again giving us a beautiful demonstration of his faith through his uniquely Oriental Christian eyes. Arifmeui qen pek`slyl.

 

[Vico]

I also want to add my thanks to Mardukm to those of Diak.

 

[Cecilianus]

Dear brother Cecilianus,

I have gone to a few confessors in the Latin Church, and you are right – the penance is very light. As far as penance is concerned, the confessors I’ve been to treat you more like a patient, rather than a sinner deserving punishment. I think that is a good direction to take for the Latin Church, wouldn’t you agree?

Oh, absolutely - penance is medicinal rather than punitive. I do think, however, that the doctor isn’t prescribing a big enough dose.

Thanks for explaining to me your understanding of the Latin and Oriental theologies of penance.

 

[Cecilianus]

penitential: of or pertaining to penitence or penence
penitence: the quality or state of being penitent: sorrow for sins or faults
penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentence from sin

Saint John Chrysostom on the Manner in which We ought to do Penance:

“This is what I call penance: when a man not merely forsakes his sins, but does good works in the place of them. Bring forth fruits worthy of penance, says St. John. How are we to do this? I answer, by doing what is directly opposed to our sins. … For unseemly revels substitute fasting, and for excess of wine, punish thyself by drinking water.”

From “Illustrated Explanation of the Holy Sacraments” By Hermann Rolfus, Ferreol Girardey, 1898, p212. (Google Books)

However, it seems that we often do penances not directly opposed to our personal sins. For example, over-indulgence in food is not the worst vice for most of us, yet fasting from food is the most usual form of penance. Likewise, it would seem unfitting to drink during Lent (since alcohol in many cultures is regarded as having a festive meaning to it), regardless of whether we’ve ever committed “excess of wine” or not.

 

[Vico]

However, it seems that we often do penances not directly opposed to our personal sins. For example, over-indulgence in food is not the worst vice for most of us, yet fasting from food is the most usual form of penance. Likewise, it would seem unfitting to drink during Lent (since alcohol in many cultures is regarded as having a festive meaning to it), regardless of whether we’ve ever committed “excess of wine” or not.

I think St. John Chrysostom here is saying how to be more Christlike. The purpose of fasting, per Saint Symeon (949–1022) is to cut through the sea of passions and the waves of temptations:

1. to quieten the fevers and impulses of the flesh
2. to assuage bad temper
3. to drive away sleep
4. stir up zeal
5. restore purity of mind and set free from evil thoughts
6. control the unbridled tongue
7. guard the eyes and fix them on high (bringing awareness of faults)
8. disperse and drives away spiritual darkness
9. see that spiritual air in which Christ shines without ceasing
10. aided by vigil, penetrate and softens hardness of heart
11. replace drunkenness with compunction

Reference: “Symeon the New Theologian: the Discourses”, pub. Paulist Press. pp. 168-169.

It is the perfect preparation for Pascha.

 

[Vico]

I think there must be a lot of misunderstanding on the meaning of “temporal punishments”. It probably comes from the historic development of certain doctrines in the Latin Church, but of course doctrines change. Today the Latin Church teaches that “temporal punishment” is doing or enduring whatever is required to restore spiritual well-being, which will purge self-destructive attachment to sin. So you can see that those actions (that restore spiritual well-being, which will purge self-destructive attachment to sin) are traditions in the Eastern Churches as well.

 

[Vico]

CONTINUED

The typical Latin Catholic response is that Christ’s Sacrifice satisfies the ETERNAL punishment due the Justice of God, but not the TEMPORAL punishment due the Justice of God. At first glance, that might seem sufficient to the Latin, since the Oriental Churches also accept the notion of some sort of temporal suffering due to one’s sins. But this Latin response actually exacerbates the matter, because Orientals generally don’t believe temporal suffering to be a punishment – at least not punishment in the sense of satisfying Divine Justice…

H.H. Pope John Paul II addressed this issue of punishment in 1999. He said:

“… I am referring to the gift of indulgences … It is a sensitive subject, which has suffered historical misunderstandings that have had a negative impact on communion between Christians. In the present ecumenical context, the Church is aware of the need for this ancient practice to be properly understood and accepted as a significant expression of God’s mercy. Experience shows, in fact, that indulgences are sometimes received with superficial attitudes that ultimately frustrate God’s gift and cast a shadow on the very truths and values taught by the Church.”

"In this context temporal punishment expresses the condition of suffering of those who, although reconciled with God, are still marked by those “remains” of sin which do not leave them totally open to grace. Precisely for the sake of complete healing, the sinner is called to undertake a journey of conversion towards the fullness of love.

In this process God’s mercy comes to his aid in special ways. The temporal punishment itself serves as “medicine” to the extent that the person allows it to challenge him to undertake his own profound conversion. This is the meaning of the “satisfaction” required in the sacrament of Penance."

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_29091999_en.html