Penance: 3 acts of goodness

[pink8888]

i don’t like such penances.

can giving alms 3 times be done to fulfill the penance above?

how good should an act of goodness be?
and how charitable should an act of charity be?

 

[Loving_disciple]

It should be something that is self sacrificing and done with a reward. In fact make it something that would cause you displeasure. If you do this God will now you are truly sorry and wish to return to him

 

[RedSparklyShoes]

I LOVE those kind of penances! It reminds me to have the heart of a servant and do something for someone that they want/need and do it with a cheerful heart.

I pray you can have a cheerful heart as you do your penance.

 

[Mary_Ellen]

i don’t like such penances.

can giving alms 3 times be done to fulfill the penance above?

how good should an act of goodness be?
and how charitable should an act of charity be?

Yes, I think almsgiving would fulfill the penance. You could have asked the priest at the time, or even told him that you don’t really understand these types of penances - they’re a bit vague - and ask for something else as a penance.

I’d have a hard time with with this as I don’t have a lot of interaction with folks and I’d have to do 3 good things within one week as I go to weekly confession. Hmmm, compliment someone in the choir? treat a friend to a soda? almsgiving?

 

[RedSparklyShoes]

I’d have a hard time with with this as I don’t have a lot of interaction with folks and I’d have to do 3 good things within one week as I go to weekly confession. Hmmm, compliment someone in the choir? treat a friend to a soda? almsgiving?

Send a hand written letter to someone? Call someone you haven’t talked to in a while? Shovel your neighbour’s walkway?

 

[babochka]

I LOVE those kind of penances! It reminds me to have the heart of a servant and do something for someone that they want/need and do it with a cheerful heart.

I pray you can have a cheerful heart as you do your penance.

I love them, too. I find that every time I get a penance that is “creative”, I come back to it time and time again over the course of the next few weeks. I don’t just complete it and be done with it. Since penance is essentially a turning toward God, I find penances that aren’t completed in a few moments to be very helpful for me.

To the OP, I would say that this doesn’t have to be a great burden. Small acts of kindness count. Smile at a child. Call your mother or grandmother just to say hello. It is the attitude of the heart that matters most. I would think that almsgiving counts to fulfill the penance, but allow yourself to be open to what the penance is supposed to teach you.

 

[paperwight66]

Say a rosary for someone?

 

[RoseMary131]

i don’t like such penances.

can giving alms 3 times be done to fulfill the penance above?

how good should an act of goodness be?
and how charitable should an act of charity be?

Peace to you, Pink.

Remember we are not called to “like such penances” but to be faithful in accepting the penance Father felt called to give us. Maybe that will give you some peace.

If Father had wanted to “tie” in specifics with the penance to do three acts of goodness…he would have.

Some priest may listen to what you say and in what they hear make the penance. Some may just speak from what they are prompted by the Holy Spirit. Still others may just have a “penance of the day.” We take the gift of penance that Father gives to us and we “complete” this penance. Father is acting in the Person of Christ.

To assign yourself “the depth of the goodness” or to add it is to be something “extra hard” is not what Father said. Father (as I understand you) said for “you to do three acts of goodness for your penance.”

If it strikes your heart to ask Father to explain this better while you are in the Sacrament of Reconciliation…then you can do so.

If you feel called to offer three acts of alms giving…maybe that is what Our Lord is calling you to do. For some reason this has come to your mind.

Your penance should be done rather soon so as to complete your part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Peace.

 

[pink8888]

You could have asked the priest at the time, or even told him that you don’t really understand these types of penances - they’re a bit vague - and ask for something else as a penance.

the priest was like: for your penance, say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and…

so i thought he’d say one glory be…but then he said: three acts of goodness. At that time, what he said didn’t really sink in… until when i was driving my car out of the parish, i kind of stopped and wanted to go back. but then thought that i had to obey, i drove away with a slightly sad heart.

 

[RoseMary131]

the priest was like: for your penance, say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and…

so i thought he’d say one glory be…but then he said: three acts of goodness. At that time, what he said didn’t really sink in… until when i was driving my car out of the parish, i kind of stopped and wanted to go back. but then thought that i had to obey, i drove away with a slightly sad heart.

Please don’t let your heart be sad. Rejoice. Rejoice in the forgiveness Our Dear Lord has given you. Receiving absolution is the gift you were seeking.

You are right in that we obey even if it wasn’t what we had expected. Think of it as a small cross to bear for the gift of Reconciliation.

On another note, maybe there will be another penance that you will need more information from Father. This gives you a chance to remember to take a few seconds after Father gives you your penance to think if you understand fully before you leave the confessional.