Penance

[GodsPrincess]

I need some quick help… I am having a bit of a debate and I can’t find any references at the moment as to why penance is important. I have someone who is trying to make me look like a fool on a forum, she says “penance is flawed, because Jesus died for our sins, so why do we have to do it.”

Thanks in advance…

 

[Righteousone]

Perhaps as a Catholic, you should read your bible. It is all in there.

 

[GodsPrincess]

Wow, there is no need to be so rude.

Of course I read my bible but as a relatively new Catholic I don’t know it all back to front like some of you so I figured some help to defend our religion would be necessary.

Is it wrong to ask for help?

Thanks very much for being so kind and understanding, your post really gave me a world of help.

 

[Righteousone]

Wow, there is no need to be so rude.

Of course I read my bible but as a relatively new Catholic I don’t know it all back to front like some of you so I figured some help to defend our religion would be necessary.

Is it wrong to ask for help?

Thanks very much for being so kind and understanding, your post really gave me a world of help.

When Jesus breathed on the Apostle’s and said “What sins you forgive are forgiven then, what sins you retain are retained”. This is confession or pennance. Jesus is giving the authority to the Apostle’s to forgive sin.

 

[GodsPrincess]

Thanks.

 

[Righteousone]

I apologize if you thought I sounded rude, I really had a terrible day…

 

[GodsPrincess]

it just felt a bit harsh… but that’s ok, we all have bad days.

 

[TemplarKnight]

I need some quick help… I am having a bit of a debate and I can’t find any references at the moment as to why penance is important. I have someone who is trying to make me look like a fool on a forum, she says “penance is flawed, because Jesus died for our sins, so why do we have to do it.”

Thanks in advance…

Just tell your friend to throw back a cold VB and it will come to her.

 

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

I would look at the Catechism, the section on the Sacrament of Penance - 1422-1498. Here is the first page (just keep clicking next)

Also look at the very first thing Jesus says in His public ministry - Repent and believe in the Gospel. The word for repent is the Greek word metanoia. You may want to do some research on that word as it has a lot of meaning and subtleties.

 

[cecilia97]

Yes, Christ paid the price for all of our sins, past, present, and future. BUT…if we hurt someone by our sins today, and then we are forgiven by God because of the sacrifice of Calvary, that other person is still hurt. Ours sins are firgiven when we ask God for forgiveness, but that doesn’t repair the consequences of our actions.

Penance, in a little, tiny way, can either help heal the hurt caused by our sins or help to strengthen our own souls so we’re less likely to sin again.

 

[GodsPrincess]

lol @ The VB … this is an internet “friend” (not really a friend, someone who is trying to make our religion look extremely flawed)

… Thanks everyone for your answers, I will have a look at the catechism pages!

 

[kalt]

To Non-Catholics – What denomination are you, and do you do penance (self-imposed, I guess?) after you’ve confessed your sins?

Correct me if I’m wrong–I’m thinking that you don’t have Confession as Catholics do. But maybe Episcopalians and Lutherans do?

 

[japhy]

In Luke 19:8, Zacchaeus says “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.” This is a penitential act: it wasn’t enough the Zacchaeus would be forgiven by the Lord, he knew it was proper and just for him to make reparations for the effects of his sinfulness.

 

[ForMary]

I need some quick help… I am having a bit of a debate and I can’t find any references at the moment as to why penance is important. I have someone who is trying to make me look like a fool on a forum, she says “penance is flawed, because Jesus died for our sins, so why do we have to do it.”

Thanks in advance…

The Catholic Church does not look to Sacred Scripture alone as its source of sacred deposit, but to Sacred Tradition as well, see Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 97).

With regard to penance look in (CCC) 1430, 1491 (penance would be the reparation), 1496, and as one of the five precepts of the Catholic Church look at 2043. There are many others, but those will get you started from a Catholic perspective.

 

[DDClark]

To Non-Catholics – What denomination are you, and do you do penance (self-imposed, I guess?) after you’ve confessed your sins?

Correct me if I’m wrong–I’m thinking that you don’t have Confession as Catholics do. But maybe Episcopalians and Lutherans do?

Hi kalt,

I’m currently attending an Anglican Mission, but was raised Baptist and have attended non-denomination and Methodist churches.

I have not attended a church that has formal confession. I do think that some Anglicans and Episcopalians have confession but it is not required, and perhaps Lutherans do too.

There is general public confession in some situations (I am a sinner in need of forgiveness type of confession).

I think it is not uncommon for protestant ministers/pastors to hear informal confessions from church members, but there would be no penance in the Catholic sense.

Self-penance - I’m not sure, since I don’t know what a Catholic is required to do for penance (I am guessing that the things I think I know are probably not correct )

I confess my sins to God through Christ, asking for forgiveness and guidance in not repeating the sin again. If it is something that is more serious in nature, or that I need accountability for, I will also talk/“confess” that to my husband or a good friend.

ddc

 

[MarcoPolo]

Colossians 1:24
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.

Perhaps that one?

 

[c659smith]

Hi kalt,

I’m currently attending an Anglican Mission, but was raised Baptist and have attended non-denomination and Methodist churches.

I have not attended a church that has formal confession. I do think that some Anglicans and Episcopalians have confession but it is not required, and perhaps Lutherans do too.

There is general public confession in some situations (I am a sinner in need of forgiveness type of confession).

I think it is not uncommon for protestant ministers/pastors to hear informal confessions from church members, but there would be no penance in the Catholic sense.

Self-penance - I’m not sure, since I don’t know what a Catholic is required to do for penance (I am guessing that the things I think I know are probably not correct )

I confess my sins to God through Christ, asking for forgiveness and guidance in not repeating the sin again. If it is something that is more serious in nature, or that I need accountability for, I will also talk/“confess” that to my husband or a good friend.

ddc

How do you define and traslate with your faith these parts of scripture.

“Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me” (Luke 10:16).

“[Jesus] said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ And then he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained’” (John 20:21-23).

“And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us” (2 Cor. 5:18-20).