Perfect Contrition and Loving God

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opusAquinas

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I wrote the below in response to whether Neanderthals have souls. Then I realized people don’t love God. The act out of love for God. God told St. Peter do you love me then feed my sheep. Love me by doing what I command.

However, people don’t FEEL love FOR God. They can know God loves them and sometimes they feel loved by God but they can’t feel love for God.
If they did feel love for God they would have ***perfect contrition
*** but we know perfect contrition is nearly impossible?

So do you feel love for God or do you feel loved by God? We look at a crucifix and we know God loves us and we can feel it sometimes- we can feel loved in prayer.

***But do we feel love for God??? *** No. That would be perfect contrition.

Does God feel loved? When we do what He commands us (even though we feel no love for God and merely care about Him).

Neanderthals:
*They had no soul therefore no sense of the natural law. They act from instinct alone like animals. Humans are fallen. Humans once knew how to love completely. Neanderthals never knew love.

Love is wanting the goods of the other for the sake of the other. It does not require you demanding anything back.

Neaderthals cared about each other - one hand washes the other.
But not having been made in God’s likeness or image. They never loved.

Most human beings cannot Feel love for God.
Most do not love God. They know or some feel God loves them.
They receive but cannot give.
If they did they could they would have perfect contrition. And that is nearly impossible.
But we ask God forgiveness because we fear hell and we know God loves US.
We don’t feel love for God.
Unless you are the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Or John the Baptist as he received mystical baptism. *
 
Firstly, yes we can love God and can feel that love at times. Secondly, feeling love for God is not “perfect contrition.” Perfect contrition is when one is sorry for having committed a sin primarily because they love God. Thirdly, how do you know that neanderthals didn’t have souls and were not human?
 
Here is an excerpt from a Catholic website I just read:

“The image of ferocity was also without factual support. Over the years, in
fact, many archaeological sites have shown evidence of cooperation and even
compassion among primitive people. Numerous fossils came from carefully
prepared graves, some as old as 100,000 years. In several instances, the
deceased had been old and crippled (like Boule’s specimen) and had received
care for years before being laid to rest. In one grave, a youth had been
buried carefully on his side, with one arm tucked under his head, as if he
were sleeping; in one hand, he held a beautifully carved quartz knife. In
another grave, archaeologists found the body of an elderly Neanderthal who
had had his forearm amputated years before in his youth. (Surgery 60,000
years ago!) He had been cared for all his life. And in yet another
Neanderthal site, researchers found evidence that the deceased had been
buried with flowers.”

Here is the link to the site in case you want to read more: ewtn.com/library/HUMANITY/EVOLUTN.TXT
 
I wonder why God doesn’t allow everyone to be cleansed by imperfect contrition alone like we Catholics… :(:confused:
 
ChibiViolet said:
Firstly, yes we can love God and can feel that love at times. Secondly, feeling love for God is not “perfect contrition.” Perfect contrition is when one is sorry for having committed a sin primarily because they love God. Thirdly, how do you know that neanderthals didn’t have souls and were not human?
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I don’t think you understand.
If perfect contrition is : God I’m sorry for my sins because I love you so much.
This is said to be rare or nearly impossible because people do not feel love for God.
But you say we do feel love for God. That’s not consistent with the logic - of the rarity of perfect contrition.

I suspect- What you actually feel is God’s love for you. You feel loved.
I suspect you are mistaking feeling loved by God with feeling love for God.
 
thinkandmull said:
I wonder why God doesn’t allow everyone to be cleansed by imperfect contrition alone like we Catholics… :(:confused:
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Yes the sacrament of confession is a blessing.

However, some protestant do not believe in mortal sin therefore is the sacrament of confession no longer necessary then for them? because mortal sin requires full knowledge and if you do not believe in mortal sin thus no sin!🤷:eek:
 
Well I wonder if Trent meant God will **never **forgive a mortal sin with perfect contrition of confession. What if Jesus appeared to a person, He is a priest…
 
thinkandmull said:
Well I wonder if Trent meant God will **never **forgive a mortal sin with perfect contrition of confession. What if Jesus appeared to a person, He is a priest…
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With perfect contrition you do not need confession. Otherwise you need confession for forgiveness of mortal sin.

Of course God can forgive you. St. Faustina I think said it was possible at death God gives achoice or something.
 
ChibiViolet said:
Here is an excerpt from a Catholic website I just read:

“The image of ferocity was also without factual support. Over the years, in
fact, many archaeological sites have shown evidence of cooperation and even
compassion among primitive people. Numerous fossils came from carefully
prepared graves, some as old as 100,000 years. In several instances, the
deceased had been old and crippled (like Boule’s specimen) and had received
care for years before being laid to rest. In one grave, a youth had been
buried carefully on his side, with one arm tucked under his head, as if he
were sleeping; in one hand, he held a beautifully carved quartz knife. In
another grave, archaeologists found the body of an elderly Neanderthal who
had had his forearm amputated years before in his youth. (Surgery 60,000
years ago!) He had been cared for all his life. And in yet another
Neanderthal site, researchers found evidence that the deceased had been
buried with flowers.”

Here is the link to the site in case you want to read more: ewtn.com/library/HUMANITY/EVOLUTN.TXT
Click to expand...
Dogs care about others but they don’t have souls.
 
opusAquinas said:
With perfect contrition you do not need confession. Otherwise you need confession for forgiveness of mortal sin.

Of course God can forgive you. St. Faustina I think said it was possible at death God gives achoice or something.
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Does near death forgiveness have to be from perfect contrition? I think that’s what Trent is saying

I guess if it was revealed to you that you had perfect contrition you shouldn’t go to confession for it. But Trent says you can’t know otherwise if you had perfect contrition so you have to go to confession anyway.
 
thinkandmull said:
Does near death forgiveness have to be from perfect contrition? I think that’s what Trent is saying

I guess if it was revealed to you that you had perfect contrition you shouldn’t go to confession for it. But Trent says you can’t know otherwise if you had perfect contrition so you have to go to confession anyway.
Click to expand...
I assume if you are dying in the state of mortal sin and there is no priest to hear your confession - perfect contrition is your only hope but that’s in God’s hands?
 
Receiving a plenary indulgence is nearly impossible because you need perfect contrition and no desire for even venial sin.
 
As imperfect and fallible humanity we cannot of our own selves aspire to anything that is spiritual perfect… God knows our limitations, and it is through His Love that an act of contrition can be made perfect. We need the teamwork of God in order to attain perfection. I always feel a warmth and tranquillity when God reaches down at such moments to perfect that which I cannot by myself.
 
opusAquinas said:
With perfect contrition you do not need confession. Otherwise you need confession for forgiveness of mortal sin.

.
Click to expand...
With perfect contrition you still in a real sense need confession. One must resolve to go as soon as possible.

If one knowingly rejects such - one does not have the grace of perfect contrition.

Now could it happen that one have the grace of perfect contrition and not able to make it to confession? Sure. But that resolution to go is part of perfect contrition.
 
opusAquinas said:
Receiving a plenary indulgence is nearly impossible because you need perfect contrition and no desire for even venial sin.
Click to expand...
I would not put that way. On either count.

One must be “not attached” to even venial sin rather.
 
thinkandmull said:
I wonder why God doesn’t allow everyone to be cleansed by imperfect contrition alone like we Catholics… :(:confused:
Click to expand...
Jesus can work with persons in ways we do not know or see or guess.

The normal way is to hear the Gospel - repent -Faith and be baptized …and then continue to “remain in Christ” …receive the Eucharist go to confession etc. etc…

But God can work outside the normal way. Jesus the Good Shepherd can reach persons in ways we do not guess. But of course we are to propose the Gospel to all.
opusAquinas said:
I assume if you are dying in the state of mortal sin and there is no priest to hear your confession - perfect contrition is your only hope but that’s in God’s hands?
Click to expand...
God can work with a person in ways we do not know or see. Jesus came so we may have life.

Grace can be given in the very last moment of life even.

(Now we should not “presume and just go on living a sinful life” of course…Jesus is quite serious about warning us to repent and turn back to God…that we do not know the day or hour…)

And remember the grace of perfect contrition is compatible (co-exist) with lesser motives *(sucg as those in imperfect contrition).
 
opusAquinas said:
That is not correct. You do not know the definition.
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It is quite correct - I am quite aware of what it is- while feeling can be involved and it is good and even more perfect in a sense - perfect contrition does not require any feelings whatsoever. Tis more of grace and will.
 
opusAquinas said:
That is not correct. You do not know the definition.
Click to expand...
Love resides in the will, if you love God you will love Him primarily with your will, you will determine to keep His commandments no matter what you feel. This is the noblist form of love. It is the commitment of the will not to offend God, but to please Him by doing His will. Martyrs suffered greatly in their feelings, they were crucified bodily and senses, feelings. This strength of will comes from God by the action of the Holy Spirit through
Jesus Christ. This is spiritual love, and we are part spirit like unto God who is Pure Spirit.
Human love involves feelings and thought and will. It is a great human consolation to be able to feel a deep affection and love for God, but if we are sorry for our sins because we fear punishment and the pains of hell and not because we offended God because He is deserving of all our love(that may devoid of feelings) we have imperfect contrition, but contrition all the same. If we are sorry for our sins because we offended God because we are committed to Him, and His will, we have perfect contrition. To be wholly human in our love it would be natural to have feelings associated with love. To be devoid of feelings and still remain committed to God by acts of the will, is to have Supernatural love. Again you can have supernatural love with feelings, but this condition would be considered a “consolation”. Sometimes we have to crucify the deeds of the flesh (feelings) in order to love God and neighbor.
 
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