I’ve been catholic my entire life and I’ve never heard of the idea of asking a priest to commute a penance. Really? I wouldn’t have the gumption to do such a thing.
Well, I am a priest arrived to the twilight of life. Over the decades, I have commuted my share of penances and then some. It can result from someone explaining a penance they felt they have not adequately fulfilled, the resolution of which is to commute what had been imposed. One reason to commute a penance is when the penance previously imposed is so vague that the penitent does not know if s/he has actually accomplished it. Or if it has no terminus or is otherwise too burdensome. A classic would be “for your penance, any time you confront a temptation, say a Hail Mary” – such a penance would only end with death; it would be a lifetime penance. Another reason is if the penance was forgotten.
I am afraid I do not understand why you would not ask your confessor for help if you needed it. The penance is first proposed. It is imposed when you do not object to the penance. You are free to request another penance. If I propose a penance that is not plausible such as a day of fast and the person responds that they have a health condition that precludes all fasting but in turn they ask if they could walk the Stations of the Cross instead, I would impose that as the penance.
So what happens if he is never tempted by this sin again? He never performs his penance so is that right or wrong??? Really, come on… I can just see God saying, “you were given a penance that you never performed! Never mind that you weren’t tempted again, you didn’t do your penance!!!”
In the end, if it is years down the road (if ever) before the person is tempted by this sin (and thus enables him to perform his penance) I think that is a good thing and I would hope God would be pleased. I don’t see God being a God who is pleased that some body finally got tempted just so that person can do the penance.
It is not necessary to become excited. A penitent is personally obligated to fulfill the penance that has been imposed in view of the sacrament s/he has received. If the confessor injudiciously makes the penance something conditional and the condition never arrives, the penance cannot be accomplished according to the terms with which it was imposed and so it remains as an unfulfilled penance regarding sins previously absolved…which is why I suggested that the penitent ask that the penance be commuted if the condition has not arisen by the next time s/he goes to confession – so that the penance is not left unresolved.
Another thread topic would be why is praying a penance? That is messed up in my opinion. No wonder there are so many screwed up people in this church.
Well, your complaint is with the Lord. He delineates in Matthew Chapter 6, the Gospel that is read on Ash Wednesday, the three classic forms of penance and the penitential practice: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. As categories, almsgiving can be expanded to include time, treasure, and talent. Fasting can be expanded to other forms of self-denial beyond denial of food.
The reason prayer is often used as a penance is it has the distinction of being something of discreet composition (either say certain prayers or spend a specific amount of time in prayer) and it can be accomplished immediately upon leaving the confessional and before leaving the church. It is a good thing to resolve the penance sooner rather than later.
As for your last sentence, I shall leave that remark without comment. If you can say that line to me, who has been a confessor for a long time, then I am really at a loss as to why you would lack the courage or fortitude to ask a priest to commute an imposed penance to something else.
