What exactly is the difference in an indulgence and a absolution?
Bill
Whenever we sin, we break God’s law and we taint our souls. Because we broke God’s law, we need his forgiveness. Because we taint our souls, our souls need to be cleansed. The Catechism calls this taint the “double consequence of sin” meaning that the effects of sin can be eternal (i.e., hell) or temporal (i.e., can be dealt with either in this life or in Purgatory). But in this post I will simply continue to use the term “taint.”
The tainting of our souls goes beyond simply needing to be forgiven. For example, whenever we commit a specific sin, we acquire an attachment to that sin, making us more susceptible to commit that sin in the future. Being forgiven does not necessarily cleanse us of that susceptibility.
According to the Book of Revelation, only that which is pure can enter heaven. This means we need to be forgiven by God and also have pure souls. There are ways we can open our souls to the purifying grace of God in this life, such as when we patiently endure the sufferings in this life. The power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation also can purify our souls (in addition to allowing absolution), but this is usually not the case (as the Baltimore Catechism expressly stated). Indulgences are a way to remove the taint from our souls. If a person dies in a state of grace (i.e., he is not guilty of an unconfessed mortal sin) but his soul still bears the taint of sin, he has to be purified in Purgatory. Therefore, acquiring indulgences in this life allows us to avoid Purgatory in the next life (or lessen our experience of Purgatory).
Consider the following scenario. Let us say that a man is addicted to cocaine and is arrested when trying to buy drugs. The judge is merciful to him and agrees not to throw him in prison. But despite this act of mercy, the man is still addicted to cocaine, and his life is still damaged from abusing it. Therefore, in order to help the man further, the judge requires him to undergo a drug treatment program. This story can serve to symbolize the difference between absolution and indulgences in the following manner:
Cocaine: Sin
Addiction: The taint sin puts on ones soul
The Man: a repentant sinner
Judge: God
Prison: Hell
Judge does not sentence the Man to prison: God forgives the sinner (i.e., absolution), so the sinner does not go to hell.
Drug Treatment Program: Indulgences, Purgatory, and the other ways God provides for removing the taint of sin and therefore purifying our souls.
Also the bishops get together and they say they invoke the holy spirit. How do they do that?
Although I have not witnessed a meeting of bishops, this probably refers to one of them leading the others in an opening prayer, asking God for guidance in whatever undertaking is being addressed at the meeting.
