Attrition or Contrition

[clfire]

Do you think the following is a correct definition of “attrition” ??

Attrition: Repetance of sin motivated fy fear of punishment rather than by love of God?

Do you think most people are motivated by both?

 

[Zekariya]

Do you think the following is a correct definition of “attrition” ??

Attrition: Repetance of sin motivated fy fear of punishment rather than by love of God?

I believe that you are correct. Note: Attrition is also called imperfect contrition.

 

[Jeanne_S]

As one who sinned greivously many years ago,Personally speaking,my initial remorse was motivated more by fear of God’s punishment.As I grew in my faith,by receiving God’s forgiveness,I soon transitioned into being remorseful for my sin because I offended God and rejected Him through my sin. My take is,as one grows in their relationship with God,one is filled with the grace and desire to reject sin,out of filial fear of offending God,because of love for Him.

 

[aprilfloyd]

Don’t ‘sin’ because it is the moral and decent thing to rather than for the ‘blessing of a god’

 

[Glacies]

The Sacred Council of Trent (1545–63) makes the following distinction between contrition and attrition (D 898):

The Council teaches, furthermore, that though it sometimes happens that this contrition is perfect because of charity and reconciles man to God, before this sacrament is actually received, this reconciliation nevertheless must not be ascribed to the contrition itself without the desire of the sacrament which is included in it. That imperfect contrition [can. 5] which is called attrition, since it commonly arises either from the consideration of the baseness of sin or from fear of hell and its punishments, if it renounces the desire of sinning with the hope of pardon, the Synod declares, not only does not make a person a hypocrite and a greater sinner’ but is even a gift of God and an impulse of the Holy Spirit, not indeed as already dwelling in the penitent, but only maying him, assisted by which the penitent prepares a way for himself unto justice.