Why do we have to keep on repenting?

[gambling88]

If after we go to confession and our sins are forgiven, why do we have to keep on repenting and trying to seek God’s mercy. After confession we are given a penance but it’s like what’s the point of a silly couple of Hail Marys when we are gonna go home and pray all night anyways?

Thank you

 

[thistle]

If after we go to confession and our sins are forgiven, why do we have to keep on repenting and trying to seek God’s mercy. After confession we are given a penance but it’s like what’s the point of a silly couple of Hail Marys when we are gonna go home and pray all night anyways?

Thank you

I’m assuming you are young otherwise you would not make a comment about “silly” Hail Mary’s. There is no such thing as a silly Hail Mary and saying that is being disrespectful to the Mother of God.

Its entirely up to you if you don’t want to repent after committing a mortal sin. If you die unrepentant you go to Hell. That is your free choice.
However, if you love God then you will make all efforts to get back in grace and stay that way.

I would suggest you read the Catechism of the Catholic Church as it appears you are confused about some things. If you don’t have a CCC then here is a free online one with an index:

scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

 

[gambling88]

Someone else please answer this question if you understand it.

Thanks again

 

[JimG]

If after we go to confession and our sins are forgiven, why do we have to keep on repenting and trying to seek God’s mercy. After confession we are given a penance but it’s like what’s the point of a silly couple of Hail Marys when we are gonna go home and pray all night anyways?

Thank you

I think you must have some particular situation in mind. I don’t know anyone who after saying their penance prayers, goes home and prays all night.

 

[DavidFilmer]

If after we go to confession and our sins are forgiven, why do we have to keep on repenting and trying to seek God’s mercy.

Because we keep on sinning.

After confession we are given a penance but it’s like what’s the point of a silly couple of Hail Marys when we are gonna go home and pray all night anyways?

Are you complaining that the typical penance is not “severe” enough? Do most Catholics “go home and pray all night?” Some do, to some extent - Third Order (secular) Religious pray the complete Divine Office daily. My wife is a Third Order Carmelite (OCDS). She prays a whole lot more than I do.

When she goes to Confession, she tells me that she identifies herself to the priest in this capacity (a priest confessing to another priest would do the same thing, as my brother, Fr. Eric Filmer (an accredited CAF Apologist), tells me). The presiding priest normally adjusts his council and penance accordingly. It’s possible (and, I suspect likely) that my wife’s council and penance is more “severe” than my own.

To whom much is given, much is expected. Would we expect a greater measure of valor from a United States Marine than a National Guardsman? We expect some measure of valor from both, but our expectations of a Marine are higher. If a Marine failed in this respect, we would hold him to a higher standard of discipline than a Guardsman.

(Full disclosure: my youngest son is a United States Marine.)

But, even if the presiding priest does not adjust his council or penance, the absolution is valid:

Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is you envious because I am generous? [Matt 1:20] [from the parable of the workers in the field]

Our Lord preached generosity. The Church is typically (or hopefully) generous with Grace (especially under our current Pope).

What, exactly, are you objecting to?

 

[judynurse]

After you make your confession, and say, respectfully, your prayers of penance, whether Hail Mary or Our Father, you are already forgiven by the Absolution given by the Priest. You don’t have to keep repenting, unless you leave confession and intentionally sin again. If you keep sinning constantly, I suppose you might be “repenting all night”. Personally, after I receive Absolution in Confession, I say my penance, or perform the act of penance assigned, and go on. My only reason to continue to repent is if I don’t go to confession and continue to sin, when I know better. That’s why I go to Confession in the first place, and then try to not sin that particular way again! I actually get a fairly good night’s sleep, after saying my regular night time prayers. I suggest you study your Catechism a bit more.

 

[CruceSignati]

Why do we have to keep on repenting, you ask?

Its like this:
We love God, right? We don’t want to hurt the ones we love, but sometimes our human nature gets the better of us and we sin. If we really and truly love God, then we should be really and truly sorry, correct? Hence, we must confess our sins and do penance for them. The extra prayers that we choose to say the rest of the time are meant to build our relationship with God and make us less likely to sin.

Does this answer your question, or do you need another explanation?

 

[ClearWater]

If after we go to confession and our sins are forgiven, why do we have to keep on repenting and trying to seek God’s mercy. After confession we are given a penance but it’s like what’s the point of a silly couple of Hail Marys when we are gonna go home and pray all night anyways?

Thank you

I hope you meant that not as an insult to Our Blessed Mother, because it could be taken that way. Also, how would a priest know if a penitent is intending to pray after penance or not? He can’t know.

If you honestly and truly want, or expect, the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for you, at the hour of your death, you can’t be putting her down the rest of the time. It doesn’t work that way.

Why do we have to repent, and keep repenting? Well, we need to persist till the end. If we don’t, we won’t make it to heaven. It can’t be a half-hearted effort here. We have to enter through the narrow door like Christ said.

I want you to see something to appreciate the seriousness of this matter, because the state of our eternal souls rests on this. romancatholicism.org/jansenism/fathers-fewness.htm

If you truly understood what hell was like, you wouldn’t even be asking that question.

 

[gambling88]

Thank you

 

[tawny]

If after we go to confession and our sins are forgiven, why do we have to keep on repenting and trying to seek God’s mercy. After confession we are given a penance but it’s like what’s the point of a silly couple of Hail Marys when we are gonna go home and pray all night anyways?

Thank you

We are all sinners, we keep on sinning. But God in His infinite mercy and love keeps welcoming us back with open arms. Jesus said," Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained". Think of all the graces you received when you go to confession. God bless.