Friday, February 06, 2004
Remorse is what counts
What if someone who had planned last night to confess his sins the next day - posited Fr. J. - suddenly meets with accident on that day, i.e., as he was walking to the church, a truck ran him over? Would he have God’s forgiveness?
The answer: Of course!
There’s nothing new with this, says Fr. Jun. When you go to confession for mortal sins, all your venial sins are forgiven together with the mortal ones. What’s important is the confessor’s posture: are you truly sorry or you’re just mouthing a senseless litany?
There are five elements of restoring our relationship with God, Fr. J. explains. Examination of conscience. Conviction (Recognition of sin). Remorse (Sorrow for sin). Confession. Penance (Reparation).
The most important of these is sorrow for sin, he said.
***
Now with regard to ‘examination of conscience,’ Fr. J. says it’s an unfortunate misnomer. “We do not examine our conscience. Rather, it is our conscience that examines us. Conscience is the voice of God within us. We cannot possibly examine the voice of God!”
