Gaining forgiveness

Contrition, confession and purpose of amendment

From this parable we see the three things we have to do in order to be forgiven.  First, we have to be sorry, like the Prodigal Son who “came to himself”.  Until we are sorry we are not in a state to be forgiven, for forgiveness means that everything is as it was before we sinned, and that cannot be if we are still against God.  Secondly, we have to say we are sorry by owning up to all we have done wrong.  And thirdly, we have to show we are sorry by making up our minds not to sin again.  These three stages, which we have to go through in order to be forgiven, are contrition (being sorry), confession (saying we are sorry), and purpose of amendment (resolving not to sin again).

And when we are forgiven, everything between us and God is as if we had never sinned at all – except, that is, for one thing, the Crucifixion.  Jesus was crucified to save us from our sins, and nothing can undo that fact.

We ask for God’s forgiveness in our private prayers (including our preparation for Communion); when we join with others in making a general confession in church services; and when we go to Confession (the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Penance) and receive God’s forgiveness from a priest for our particular sins.  Forgiveness is very important indeed.  Jesus gave his Apostles the power to forgive sins at the very first opportunity he had, on the evening of Easter Day itself, barely 48 hours after he had been crucified to win forgiveness for us.