Most of you have heard of the great Italian poet, Dante, who was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis. His masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, is an account of his trip through heaven, hell and purgatory. An artist by the name of Dore has painted some of the scenes described by Dante. The artist has one especially striking scene showing Dante and his companion approaching the entrance of Purgatory. There stands a stalwart warden-angel with flaming sword, refusing entrance to all who are unworthy. Leading up to the entrance are three steps. These represent the three steps most necessary for a good confession, namely, contrition, confession and satisfaction. Dante describes them:
"Thither did we draw nigh, and that first stairWhat an apt picture of confession. The first step is of polished marble which shows a man to himself. It opens his eyes to his true spiritual condition. It tears away his mask. It shows him how he has offended God and why he should be sorry.
"Was of white marble, polished so and clean,
"It mirrored all my features as they were.
"The second darker than dusk perverse was seen,
"Of stone all rugged, rough and coarse in grain,
"With many a crack, its length and breadth between.
"The third, which o'er the other towers amain
"Appeared as if of fiery porphyry,
"Like blood that gushes crimson from the vein."
The second step, "darker than dusk," rugged, coarse and cracked, represents confession of sin, the tearing up of the roots of sin, the rending and groaning which the revealing of our sins so often requires.
The third step, satisfaction, is like the letting of blood. It is the offering of oneself in reparation. It is accepting and performing the penance. Up these three steps one makes his way to true repentance.
Contrition, the first step, means a hatred of sin and a true grief of the soul for having offended God. The word "contrition" comes from the Latin which means "to grind" or "to wear away." Contrition grinds the heart in sorrow.
There are two kinds of contrition - perfect and imperfect. Perfect sorrow for sin springs from a pure love of God. Imperfect contrition arises from a fear of God and His punishments. Perfect contrition fills us with sorrow and hatred of sin because sin offends Almighty God, who is all good in Himself and all good to us. Imperfect contrition makes us hate sin because by it we lose heaven and deserve hell.
All of us should know the act of contrition. Follow me as I repeat it:
"O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. And I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love."The first part is imperfect contrition - we are sorry because we dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. The second part is perfect contrition - we are sorry because we have offended the all-good God. With confession either kind of contrition is sufficient. It goes without saying that perfect sorrow should always be our aim.
By way of illustration: Suppose a little boy disobeys seriously enough to deserve a spanking. When his mother discovers his disobedience, he starts to cry. If he cries because" he is afraid of a spanking, he has imperfect sorrow. If he cries because he has offended his mother who has always been so good to him, he has something like perfect sorrow.
I cannot overemphasize the value and importance of making an act of perfect contrition frequently, even "daily. Just as the daily examination of conscience helps us to realize our sinfulness, so the daily act of perfect contrition helps us to be sorry for our sins.
But this practice of a daily prayer of perfect sorrow has another all-important value. It puts us in the state of grace. How necessary that is in a day when sudden death is possible at every moment and every corner. Every evening repeat with meaning and sincerity your act of contrition, adding always the resolution that you will go to confession when the opportunity offers.
Still another advantage of this practice is that it makes our good works and merits worthwhile in the sight of God. On the contrary, good works performed in the state of sin are not worthwhile. You benefit nothing for the next life from the good you do while in the state of mortal sin. No wonder our Lord tells us today in the parable of the Prodigal Son: "'...It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
No wonder Dante pictured contrition as the first step on the way to being restored to the friendship of God.
Be careful and conscientious but not worried about your sorrow for your sins. We have offended an all-good God. We ask His pardon. Do this every day. Do it sincerely. Then every day you will more likely do God will.
____________________
Adapted from Talks on the Sacraments
by Fr. Arthur Tonne,OFM (© 1947)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please keep your comments civil and respectful!