Interior Penance
"It is in discovering the greatness of God's love that our heart is shaken by the horror and weight of sin and begins to fear offending God by sin and being separated from him. The human heart is converted by looking upon him whom our sins have pierced."
1430 Jesus' call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at outward works, "sackcloth and ashes," fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion. Without this, such penances remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance.23
1431 Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to change one's life, with hope in God's mercy and trust in the help of his grace. This conversion of heart is accompanied by a salutary pain and sadness which the Fathers called animi cruciatus (affliction of spirit) and compunctio cordis (repentance of heart).24
1432 The human heart is heavy and hardened. God must give man a new heart.25 Conversion is first of all a work of the grace of God who makes our hearts return to him: "Restore us to thyself, O LORD, that we may be restored!"26 God gives us the strength to begin anew. It is in discovering the greatness of God's love that our heart is shaken by the horror and weight of sin and begins to fear offending God by sin and being separated from him. The human heart is converted by looking upon him whom our sins have pierced:27
- Let us fix our eyes on Christ's blood and understand how precious it is to his Father, for, poured out for our salvation it has brought to the whole world the grace of repentance.
1433 Since Easter, the Holy Spirit has proved "the world wrong about sin,"29 i.e., proved that the world has not believed in him whom the Father has sent. But this same Spirit who brings sin to light is also the Consoler who gives the human heart grace for repentance and conversion.30
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
I don't often consider the weight and horror of my sin . I need to gaze upon the Crucifix and His wounds my sins have caused to rediscover the greatness of God's love.Labels: Devotional Practices
posted by Russ Rentler, M.D. | 8:39 AM
5 Comments:
"Let us fix our eyes on Christ's blood and understand how precious it is to his Father, for, poured out for our salvation it has brought to the whole world the grace of repentance."
There aren't enough potential "Amen's" on my keyboard to properly react to that admonishment / statement of faith.
Amen x 10^6, and then some!
Have a blessed Lent, TJ and PD.
And to see what they (my sins) did to Our Mother, Mary. A sword pierced her heart. SHE felt the pain in her heart when Jesus was lanced through. He was already dead when the spear went through his chest into his heart, but it was MARY that got the brunt of that pain! Too much to comprehend...hurts to ponder, but yet, I need to do that,too, TJ. Thank you for this sobering and heart wrenching image. I get too complacent...to "flip" at times. God forgive me. Mama Mary forgive me.
Yes, Susie
"Pierced is your soul, by the very same sword.
They thrust in the side of the one you adored"
It was also the cross when Jesus gave Mary to the Church(figured in his giving Mary to John). So much transpired at the Cross!
Why would we ever want a plain wooden cross instead of a crucifix? I had gotten away from the realization of how his wounds were the result of my sin. I am hoping this Lent to focus on that through the weekly stations of the cross we have at our parish.
So much grace, so little time....
You too theo!
inspiration to others!
:)
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