Penance!!!

[Stephentlig]

After confession, and the Priest gives you absolution, he gives you Penance to do, and you do the prescribed Penace and no more no less of course, is it permissible during your life to do other acts of penance outside of confession?

obviously I’m aware that St.John of the Cross asks us to be wary of this in our spiritual beginnings on the road not to be doing more penance that is prescribed by your confessor, for in your zeal of thinkin by doing such things that your being pleasing to God, we would be doing quite the opposite.

What other forms of penace are there though outside this sphere that one can do?

Pax Christi
Stephen <3

 

[Bookcat]

After confession, and the Priest gives you absolution, he gives you Penance to do, and you do the prescribed Penace and no more no less of course, is it permissible during your life to do other acts of penance outside of confession?

obviously I’m aware that St.John of the Cross asks us to be wary of this in our spiritual beginnings on the road not to be doing more penance that is prescribed by your confessor, for in your zeal of thinkin by doing such things that your being pleasing to God, we would be doing quite the opposite.

What other forms of penace are there though outside this sphere that one can do?

Pax Christi
Stephen <3

Of course! in fact we are required too! Such as the ash weds and Good friday fast…the abstinence from meat on Ash wed and fridays of lent (some places more )

lots of forms of penance…

Fasting
Prayer
Almsgiving

These are the three classic biblical ones…

lots of things…

giving up things
wearing hair shirt (get advice from confessor)
the discipline (get advice from confessor)
kneeling
reading some of my posts
going on a difficult pilgrimage
going on you knees…
accepting the diffculties of life with joy
working well

lots

 

[Bookcat]

Catechism:

V. The Many Forms of Penance in Christian Life

1434 The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving,31 which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others. Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: effort at reconciliation with one’s neighbor, tears of repentance, concern for the salvation of one’s neighbor, the intercession of the saints, and the practice of charity "which covers a multitude of sins."32

1435 Conversion is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right,33 by the admission of faults to one’s brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one’s cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance.34

1436 Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. "It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and to preserve us from mortal sins."35

1437 Reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and the Our Father - every sincere act of worship or devotion revives the spirit of conversion and repentance within us and contributes to the forgiveness of our sins.

1438 The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice.36 These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works).

1439 The process of conversion and repentance was described by Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son, the center of which is the merciful father:37 The fascination of illusory freedom, the abandonment of the father’s house; the extreme misery in which the son finds himself after squandering his fortune; his deep humiliation at finding himself obliged to feed swine, and still worse, at wanting to feed on the husks the pigs ate; his reflection on all he has lost; his repentance and decision to declare himself guilty before his father; the journey back; the father’s generous welcome; the father’s joy - all these are characteristic of the process of conversion. the beautiful robe, the ring, and the festive banquet are symbols of that new life - pure worthy, and joyful - of anyone who returns to God and to the bosom of his family, which is the Church. Only the heart of Christ Who knows the depths of his Father’s love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way.

vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P4B.HTM

 

[Edward_H]

Great thread, posts, and ideas.

Penances also can be in the little, ordinary things: smiling when you don’t want to, being a bit more cheerful than you feel like it, leaving that extra spoonful in the buffet bowl, double checking some numbers on a spreadsheet when you don’t want to, turning off the TV and reading a book to your child.

It’s helpful to ask our Lord to join you in your penances, uniting your little sufferings with His unimaginable sufferings. Chatter with Him. And do penances quietly, with no fan fair, with increasing cheer each day.

 

[Bookcat]

Great thread, posts, and ideas.

Penances also can be in the little, ordinary things: smiling when you don’t want to, being a bit more cheerful than you feel like it, leaving that extra spoonful in the buffet bowl, double checking some numbers on a spreadsheet when you don’t want to, turning off the TV and reading a book to your child.

It’s helpful to ask our Lord to join you in your penances, uniting your little sufferings with His unimaginable sufferings. Chatter with Him. And do penances quietly, with no fan fair, with increasing cheer each day.

 

[Sherry_G]

Penance is good for us all. I think the only danger that St. John of the Cross was referring to is in not believing that our sins are truly forgiven after we receive absolution, that’s all. Otherwise, small or large acts of penance can be offered up for our past sins, for the poor souls in purgatory, for those sinners in our homes, families or the world in general. Penance can be an act of deprivation or sometimes in doing those things we would prefer to skip, like going the extra mile on a day we are tired, etc.

 

[2cats]

Bookcat, I’m no expert, but I don’t really understand the purpose of a hair shirt and similar "deprivations.’ If it’s a matter of accepting the suffering that has arisen in your own life and being strong through it, that has value. But I guess I don’t see how intentionally making yourself uncomfortable or miserable would be pleasing to God. There’s enough misery in the world already. To me, it seems more reasonable that God would want us to enjoy life (while adhering to his teachings, of course). I would think that a penance that actually benefits someone – examples mentioned above were going the extra mile to help someone even when you’re tired, smiling or being cheerful even when you don’t want to, turning the TV off to spend quality time with family even if you’d rather be watching a show, or even praying for someone – would be much more worthwhile.

 

[Edward_H]

Not an expert either.

Re: Hairshirt. There are passive penances/mortifications and active ones. Passive ones might include dealing cheerfully with the annoyances that come our way (traffic, weather, changed schedules, etc.). Active ones like fasting, almsgiving, or even seeking discomfort also have a purpose. They help us detach from certain comforts of our life. They offer us a chance to exercise the will over our pleasure seeking body.

These ones I think are fine in moderation, but anything out of the ordinary should be the subject of spiritual direction, and approved by your director.

Again, not an expert.

It is funny how the world recoils from this concept of deliberate denial/deliberate seeking of detachment and pain for our spiritual well being, but stands in awe of Olympic athletes for their dedication and discipline to their rigorous training regimen. What’s of more value?

 

[2cats]

Edward H., I disagree that the types of penances I mentioned in my post are all “passive.” Going out of your way to help someone when you’re tired or don’t feel up to it is active. And I don’t see how that is any less of a “detachment” from pleasures and comforts. If you do it intentionally as a penance and offer it up to God, it seems to me that it is equally capable of focusing the will, and vastly more valuable than walking around in a hair shirt.

 

[Edward_H]

2Cats,

Looking again at my post, I don’t see where you conclude that I said “that the types of penances I [2cats] mentioned in my post are all passive”.

Same thing for your other point. I don’t remember providing an example-filled graded scale of detachment. Never seen one.

It’s your call on the other matter in your case.

If someone else’s root sin or weakness (say, for example, me) is sensuality and love of physical comfort and gratification, attacking it at the root may be the best way to go at it, vs. dancing around the core issue with mortifications that don’t address the main point.

Whether these forms of physical penances or mortifications (depends on intent) involve hair shirts, or cold showers, or getting up off the bed right away on the dot when it’s time to get up, or running when one doesn’t want to, or cleaning up right after dinner (or not using butter on bread, and a million of other ways), depends on the person and their intent/need.

Such physical/direct forms of detachment and mortification seem in my own case to lead to greater positive effects for me in the area of sensuality (not just sexual) and general comfort seeking, than ones that address more directly other issues (say if someone lacks generosity…and they want to offer a penance for their lack of generosity…they might decide to perform cheerfully, quietly, some act of charity, such as visiting the homebound, etc.).

Depends on what one’s intent and spiritual need is, perhaps confirmed by a spiritual director: Pride, vanity, love of comfort, etc.

Peace.