Do you give yourself a penance?

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Hi CAF,

How do you handle the guilt of sin? And after Confession, do you ever give yourself a self-inflicted penance? My confessor always tells me that being sorry for the sins is wonderful, as is coming to confession, but I need to make up for them by countering them. I usually try to do the opposite of my sin when doing penance. By this, I mean if I commit the sin of gluttony, then I fast, or if I am lazy in my prayers, and then saying an extra Rosary. What kind of penances do you give yourself?

I’m sorry if this is hard to understand, I am having a bit of trouble really explaining my point. God bless, and thank you in advance for answering!
 
SnowAngels said:
Hi CAF,

How do you handle the guilt of sin? And after Confession, do you ever give yourself a self-inflicted penance? My confessor always tells me that being sorry for the sins is wonderful, as is coming to confession, but I need to make up for them by countering them. I usually try to do the opposite of my sin when doing penance. By this, I mean if I commit the sin of gluttony, then I fast, or if I am lazy in my prayers, and then saying an extra Rosary. What kind of penances do you give yourself?

I’m sorry if this is hard to understand, I am having a bit of trouble really explaining my point. God bless, and thank you in advance for answering!
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My priest always give me a penance (praying the Divine Mercy chaplet, looking at the crucifix for a few minutes each day, etc.). I’ve never been directed to give myself a penance.
 
Hello SnowAngels.

You ask a very good question. I’ll start the answer by saying we are all called to do penance as we are supposed to be a penitential people. This is a universal thing. There are regular penitential practices that are proscribed by the Church: Lent and all that we do during that time, the Friday observances, etc. Then there are the other things we are all supposed to do VOLUNTARILY. What other things? Daily Rosary, Mass during the week, Adoration, etc. There is other stuff though. For instance, you are about to go visit the doctor and you aren’t looking forward to it at all and it causes you stress and emotional suffering, offer it up. If you are about the clean your house or basement and it isn’t fun, offer it up. About to wash the car? spend time with the Mother-in-law? go to the dentist for an extraction? put up with a cranky boss for two extra hours this afternoon? OFFER IT UP! That is penance too. Any thing offered to God and united to the Sacrifice of the Cross is acceptable to God as expiation for one’s own sins as well as those of others. The trick is to offer it up. I make a Morning Offering each and every day so that all my prayers, works, joys, sorrows and sufferings are offered to God in reparation for my sins as well as those in Purgatory. I’ll find out when I get to Heaven how God applied all this extra penance to my life and sins and perhaps I’ve even gotten someone out of their Purgatory already! Yippie! Wouldn’t that be great? And I know that by so doing, I’ll get to Heaven a lot quicker than I ever would have if I’d done only what was asked of me each time I Confessed or suffered through Lent’s laws.

One other thing I need to say. Self offerings are not a substitute for Confession and the Penance the Priest gives at that time. We can gain no merit for anything if we are in a state of mortal sin. And one mortal sin wipes out all the graces you’ve merited thus far. It kinda sets your back to less-than-zero, if you get my meaning. So, make a good Confession, make your satisfaction by doing the penance given you and by all means add to it all you feel called to do. But you must fulfill the prescribed penance and making up your own doesn’t cover it. That is what is required of you as part of a good Confession. And if you are toying with the idea of just skipping the Confession and doing you own penance to avoid embarrassment, as some I’ve talked with have, this won’t do either. Just go.

Those who are called to Penance often consider the Religious life as that is a total offering of one’s self and the merits gained and applied pour out on all of us in the Church daily. We cannot have anyway of knowing exactly how much grace God gives to His Church through the sacrifice of our religious of their lives in service and prayers but the Penances they preform for a lifetime of prayer and good works is countless. Each and everyone of us benefits from their hidden lives and sacrifices. Be supportive of your local religious and contact them for help in learning about penance and how you too can help others by your own daily offerings and prayers and penances. It really adds meaning to the walk with God.

Glenda
 
Pax Christi!

After Confession, I perform the assigned penance and usually then some. We should all make restitution for our failings, and do so regularly. With or without a priest’s instructions.

Penance! Penance! Penance!

God bless.
 
ajecphotos said:
I thought being married was penance! 😃
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Only for the wife!

As to the original question, which was very clear, by the way: I suppose I may give myself slight extra penances after leaving confession and while I’m sitting in the pew doing whatever Father assigned. However, I think your own approach to this is wonderful, and I may very well start following a similar approach! “Countering” your sin by doing its opposite virtue sounds like very astute spiritual wisdom.
 
I didn’t mean that I never do penance (in reference to the person who said this: We should all make restitution for our failings, and do so regularly. With or without a priest’s instructions.) <–Seemed the comment was directed to me, but I’m not sure. 🙂

I say my prayers, recite the rosary, adhere to abstaining from meat on Fridays, etc. The OP was asking specifically in reference to self-inflicted penances “after Confession.” It’s good to know that people do penances in addition to the ones given by the priest, though. I never knew that and will try it. 🙂
 
SnowAngels said:
Hi CAF,

How do you handle the guilt of sin? And after Confession, do you ever give yourself a self-inflicted penance? My confessor always tells me that being sorry for the sins is wonderful, as is coming to confession, but I need to make up for them by countering them. I usually try to do the opposite of my sin when doing penance. By this, I mean if I commit the sin of gluttony, then I fast, or if I am lazy in my prayers, and then saying an extra Rosary. What kind of penances do you give yourself?

I’m sorry if this is hard to understand, I am having a bit of trouble really explaining my point. God bless, and thank you in advance for answering!
Click to expand...
In addition to my assigned penance; I always say an extra Rosary for the day.
 
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