Why did Christ institute the two sacraments of healing?
Christ instituted the two sacraments of healing so that his Church, endowed with the power of the Holy Spirit, may continue his work of healing and salvation, even among the faithful.
What is the Sacrament of penance or reconciliation?
The sacrament of penance or reconciliation is the sacrament in which sinners obtain from God the forgiveness of sins committed after baptism through the absolution of the priest, and achieve reconciliation with the Church they have wounded by sinning.
Who gave the priest the power to forgive sins?
Jesus Christ gave the priest the power to forgive sins when on Easter Sunday he said to the Apostles and their successors in the priesthood: "Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are for- given; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained" (John 20:22-23).
For whom is the sacrament of Penance necessary?
The sacrament of Penance is necessary for all who have committed mortal sin after baptism.
What are the effects of the worthy reception of the sacrament of Penance?
The effects of the worthy reception of the sacrament of Penance are:' first, the restoration or increase of sanctifying grace; second, the forgiveness of sins; third, the remission of the eternal punishment due to mortal sin, and at least part of the temporal punishment remaining to be paid after the forgiveness of sins; fourth, reconciliation with the Church whom we have harmed by our sins; fifth, the help to avoid sin in the future; sixth, the restoration of the merits of our good works if they have been lost through mortal sin.
What must we do to receive the sacrament of Penance worthily?
To receive the sacrament of Penance worthily, we must, first, examine our conscience; second, be sorry for our sins; third, have the firm purpose of not sinning again; fourth, confess our sins to the priest; fifth, be willing to perform the penance the priest gives us.
What is the examination of conscience?
The examination of conscience is a sincere effort to remember all the sins we have committed since our last good confession.
What should we do before our examination of conscience?
Before our examination of conscience, we should ask the Holy Spirit's help to know our sins and to confess them with sincere sorrow.
How can we make a good examination of conscience?
We can make a good examination of conscience by calling to mind the commandments of God, the laws of the Church, and the particular duties of our state in life, and by asking ourselves how we may have sinned with regard to them.
MEDITATION:
Wretched your needs must be, wherever you are and wherever you turn, unless you turn to God. Why make all this to-do about thwarted wishes, and blighted hopes? Was there ever man that got his own way all the time? Of course not, neither you nor I nor anybody else in the world—everybody has some troubles, some difficulties to put up with, Kings and Popes like the rest of us. And who comes of best? The man who can stand up tp a certain amount of suffering for the love of God. - Thomas A Kempis
