This morning (08), His Holiness the Pope received participants in the annual session of the Apostolic Punitive Tribunal on the Internal Forum. In his address to the audience, Francis addressed three basic positions found in the prayer of contrition: repentance before God, trust in Him, and the purpose of not returning to sin.
Thulio Fonseca – Vatican News
His Holiness Pope Francis received, this morning, Friday, March 8, participants in the thirty-fourth session of the Apostolic Court of Penance session on the internal forum. During this week, a group of 500 people followed the activities in person in Rome, while another part participated virtually. The training, which targeted new priests, seminarians about to be ordained and all priests interested in ongoing formation, covered the sacrament of penance.
The Supreme Pontiff thanked the participants for attending the meeting, and chose to deliver the speech prepared for this occasion. In the text, Francis suggested thinking, in the context of Lent, and especially the Year of Prayer in preparation for the Jubilee, about simple and rich prayer, which belongs to the heritage of the holy and faithful People of God. During the ritual of reconciliation we read: The Law of Contrition.
Repentance is not self-analysis
The Pope highlights three positions expressed in the prayer written by Saint Afonso Maria di Ligorio, which help us reflect on our relationship with divine mercy: repentance before God, trust in Him, and the goal of not relapsing.
When speaking of repentance, the Holy Father emphasizes that this attitude “does not arise from introspection or psychological feelings of guilt, but from the awareness of our insignificance in the face of God’s infinite love”:
“The feeling of sin is directly proportional to the understanding of God’s infinite love: the more we recognize His tenderness, the more we long for full communion with Him, and the more clearly we see the distortion of evil in our lives. It is this awareness, expressed as “remorse” and “sorrow,” that prompts us to reflect on our actions and leads us to repentance. Let us remember that God never tires of forgiving us, and for our part, we should never tire of asking Him for forgiveness!
Trust in divine mercy
“In the Law of Contrition, God is described as infinitely good and worthy of being loved above all things,” the Pope recalls. When he focuses on the second point, which is trust, Francisco says that it is very nice to hear from the penitent an acknowledgment of God's infinite goodness and the priority of His love for him in his life:
“Loving “above all things” actually means putting God at the center of everything, as a light on the path and the foundation of every system of values, and entrusting everything to Him. It is this priority that drives everyone to love one another: for people and for creation, because he who loves God He loves his brother (see 1 John 4:19-21) and always seeks his good, in justice and peace.
Pope Francis receives participants in the internal forum session
Resolve not to sin anymore
The third position is the goal, which, according to the Holy Father, expresses the will of the penitent never to return to the sin committed, and enables the important transition from action to contrition, from incomplete suffering to complete suffering:
“We express this attitude by saying: ‘I propose, with your holy help, never to offend you again.’ These words express a goal, not a promise. In fact, none of us can promise God that we will never sin again, and what we need To obtain forgiveness is not a guarantee of sin, but a present goal, made with good intentions at the time of confession.
I ask God for forgiveness generously
Finally, Francis highlights the conclusion of the prayer: “Lord, have mercy on me and forgive me.” The Pontiff emphasizes that the terms “Lord” and “mercy” are synonymous, and this is crucial:
“God is mercy (see 1 John 4:8). Mercy is its name and its face. It is good to always remember this: in every act of mercy, in every act of love, the face of God shines. The task entrusted to them in the confessional is beautiful and decisive, because it allows them to help many brothers and sisters experience the sweetness of God's love. Therefore, I encourage you to live every confession as a unique and unrepeated moment of grace, and to offer the Lord's forgiveness generously, with affection, fatherly, and, I dare say, also with motherly tenderness.
At the end of the text, there is a call from the Pope to prayer and commitment, “so that this preparatory year for the Jubilee may witness that the Father’s mercy may flourish in many hearts and in many places, and that God may increase more and more.” Loved, recognized and glorified.”
Pope Francis receives participants in the internal forum session
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