Motives for sorrow for sins in confession

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js_cat3391

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Hi,

I always thought sorrow had to be simply because of
  1. You feared hell
    OR
  2. You hurt God.
I read something recently that seemed to extend the lower form of sorrow to any negative consequences of sin, not just eternal damnation.

Is it sufficient to be sorry for mortal sins because one fears God’s punishments, purgatory, temporal punishments earthy punishments, such as anxiety or depression over your sins, and whatever other punishments on earth due to sins?

What if someone feared man’s punishments. For example, take an adulterer not wanting to face a messy divorce, or a serial killer or arsonist, not wanting to go to jail due to his sins/crimes and needs God’s grace to help him not commit them?

Are man’s punishments the same as God’s punishments?

thanks,
 
1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.51

1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.52

scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a4.htm#VII

(PS: in terms of venial sins one can be forgiven of such in various ways…not only perfect contrition…but such does forgive them too)
 
js_cat3391 said:
Hi,

I always thought sorrow had to be simply because of
  1. You feared hell
    OR
  2. You hurt God.
I read something recently that seemed to extend the lower form of sorrow to any negative consequences of sin, not just eternal damnation.

Is it sufficient to be sorry for mortal sins because one fears God’s punishments, purgatory, temporal punishments earthy punishments, such as anxiety or depression over your sins, and whatever other punishments on earth due to sins?
Click to expand...
Absolutely. Imperfect contrition is for any reason below love of God, which is why the Catechism includes “other penalties”. The key thing is that it prompts you to be sorry and resolve to not commit the sins again, which is sufficient for confession.
 
porthos11 said:
Absolutely. Imperfect contrition is for any reason below love of God, which is why the Catechism includes “other penalties”. The key thing is that it prompts you to be sorry and resolve to not commit the sins again, which is sufficient for confession.
Click to expand...
Wow…I had no idea…all these years, I have been trying to make sure I only fear hell and no other types of punishments. I guess the point is you are admitting your sins, and you do not want any kind of pain they cause.
thanks,
 
js_cat3391 said:
Wow…I had no idea…all these years, I have been trying to make sure I only fear hell and no other types of punishments. I guess the point is you are admitting your sins, and you do not want any kind of pain they cause.
thanks,
Click to expand...
And that you have the firm resolve to not commit them again. Then you can be absolved.
 
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