20200917 ACT OF PERFECT CONTRITION
17 September, 2020, Thursday, 24th Week, Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.
First reading |
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 © |
I preached what the others preach, and you all believed
Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything.
Well then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared first to Cephas and secondly to the Twelve. Next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died; then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles; and last of all he appeared to me too; it was as though I was born when no one expected it.
I am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the Church of God, I hardly deserve the name apostle; but by God’s grace that is what I am, and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless. On the contrary, I, or rather the grace of God that is with me, have worked harder than any of the others; but what matters is that I preach what they preach, and this is what you all believed.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 117(118):1-2,15-17,28 © |
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
or
Alleluia!
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love has no end.
Let the sons of Israel say:
‘His love has no end.’
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
or
Alleluia!
The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;
his right hand raised me up.
I shall not die, I shall live
and recount his deeds.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
or
Alleluia!
You are my God, I thank you.
My God, I praise you.
I will thank you for you have given answer
and you are my saviour.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation | 2Co5:19 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,
and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.
Alleluia!
Or: | Mt11:28 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 7:36-50 © |
Her many sins have been forgiven, or she would not have shown such great love
One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to a meal. When he arrived at the Pharisee’s house and took his place at table, a woman came in, who had a bad name in the town. She had heard he was dining with the Pharisee and had brought with her an alabaster jar of ointment. She waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them away with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who this woman is that is touching him and what a bad name she has.’ Then Jesus took him up and said, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Speak, Master’ was the reply. ‘There was once a creditor who had two men in his debt; one owed him five hundred denarii, the other fifty. They were unable to pay, so he pardoned them both. Which of them will love him more?’ ‘The one who was pardoned more, I suppose’ answered Simon. Jesus said, ‘You are right.’
Then he turned to the woman. ‘Simon,’ he said ‘you see this woman? I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them away with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she has been covering my feet with kisses ever since I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. For this reason I tell you that her sins, her many sins, must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love. It is the man who is forgiven little who shows little love.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ Those who were with him at table began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man, that he even forgives sins?’ But he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’
ACT OF PERFECT CONTRITION
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 COR 15:1-11; LUKE 7:36-50]
During these days of Covid-19, many Catholics are deprived of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Some have suggested that we should give a general absolution over an On-Line Reconciliation Service. Yet, they fail to realize that even when a General Absolution is given, there are conditions attached to it, namely, the person must make an act of perfect contrition, do penance and go for sacramental confession for their grave sins when the opportunity arises. A General Absolution service is helpful as a community penitential service due to the constraint of time and priests to hear the confessions individually. But the Act of Perfect Contrition, whilst it does not have a community setting, also achieves the same effect, which is true forgiveness of our sins. But again, with the same conditions that when the opportunity arises in the future, they should confess their serious sins to a priest. Just because a General Absolution is given or an Act of Perfect Contrition is made, does not exempt a person from making a personal confession when it is possible in the future. For this reason, the reality of forgiveness is given on both occasions.
This is what the gospel today wants to emphasize. Forgiveness is readily offered for those who are sincerely sorry for their sins, even without their confessing their sins publicly. We have the case of this notorious woman who came before the Lord whilst He was having a meal in one of the Pharisee’s house. She came before the Lord without uttering a word. She conveyed her sentiments through her actions of washing the feet of our Lord with her tears, weeping and drying His feet with her hair, covered them with kisses and then anointed them with the most expensive ointment. It was an expression of sincere consciousness of one’s grievous sins and most of all, sorrow and contrition for her past conduct. In the face of a holy man, Jesus, she felt the need to encounter God’s forgiveness.
What is significant was the way the Lord responded to her overture of repentance. Jesus calmly accepted her love and sorrow. He did not feel awkward even though He was very much aware of what His host was thinking about Him. He did not allow the opinions and prejudices of others to restrain Him from offering forgiveness and healing to the woman. Indeed, as in the case of the Adulterous Woman in John’s gospel, Jesus did not interrogate her about her past and her sins. That she knew about her sinful condition and that she was truly sorry, was enough for the Lord to say to her, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” She has made an act of perfect contrition and received full forgiveness without her enunciating her sinful acts. Indeed, all the Lord wants for us is that we are truly sorry for our sins to be forgiven. It was her faith in God’s mercy and forgiveness that saved her. Jesus on His part as the representative of God affirmed that forgiveness and healing. She was saved not just from her sins but she was healed of her past as well.
However, it is not enough to have just a general awareness of ourselves as sinners but consciousness of the sins we have committed. This explains why the Church insists that our sins be confessed individually to a priest in a normal situation. This is to help us examine our sins, be conscious of what these sins have caused to those whom we have sinned against, feel sorry and truly regret our actions, ask for repentance and turn over a new leaf. Sacramental confession is still a great aid to help us enter into sincere contrition of heart and most of all, be able to hear what the Lord said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Sacramental confession provides a personal encounter with the Lord’s representative so that those who confess their sins will not only experience forgiveness but also healing of their past through the spiritual advice of the confessor.
However, if there is no contrition of sins, no sins can be forgiven. It is not that God does not forgive our sins but that we cannot receive His forgiveness. This was the case of Simon the Pharisee. He was a good man but he was not aware of his sinful condition. Instead, he was judging the woman and Jesus as well. He said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who this woman is that is touching him and what a bad name she has.” Jesus gently reached out to Simon without reprimanding him, for he too was a sinner that needed conversion. So He told Simon “you see this woman? I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them away with her hair. You gave me no kisses, but she has been covering my feet with kisses ever since I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. For this reason, I tell you that her sins, her many sins, must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love. It is the man that is forgiven little who shows little love.” Simon did not feel the need to be forgiven and so showed little love for our Lord. He did not have faith in Jesus or heard His message of conversion and repentance. Because he was not conscious of his sins, he did not receive any forgiveness since he had no signs of repentance.
In the final analysis, this forgiveness of our sins of course is rooted in the fact that Jesus had demonstrated to us the forgiveness and mercy of our Father, not just by His words and even His act of forgiving and reconciling sinners. Rather, Jesus acted out God’s mercy by His passion, death and resurrection. This is what St Paul confessed from the tradition which he himself had received. “Well then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared first to Cephas and secondly to the Twelve.” By His death, Jesus showed God’s mercy in sacrificing His Son to show us His unconditional love. By His resurrection, God demonstrated His triumph over sin and death, offering believers a new life in His Son. Jesus therefore is the mercy of God in person.
Believing in His death and resurrection is critical for faith in Him. The paschal mystery of Christ is central to Christian Faith. “Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything.” Indeed, the Good News consists of Christ’s death and resurrection. St Paul, writing to the Romans said, “Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.” (Rom 5:8-10) This is again reiterated when he wrote, “If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” (Rom 8:32-34)
With this in mind, therefore, let us hold on to God’s mercy and forgiveness. St John reminds us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 Jn 1:8-10) Acknowledging our sins and confessing them humbly and sincerely is the way to find healing and peace. Otherwise, Christ would have died in vain if we have no sins and we make His death meaningless and Him a liar since He said He came to die for us. So let us take courage and humility by turning to Jesus for forgiveness directly or through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 Jn 2:1f)
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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